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Nothing is better (or easier) than this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole. Kind of like broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy weeknight casserole. It’s healthy…ish, so darn easy, and so darn delicious. The best part…it’s made entirely in one pot and in under an hour. Grab some chicken, rice, orzo pasta, plenty of herbs, and all the broccoli you can snag. Cook everything together on the stove, add sharp cheddar cheese, and finish off in the oven to melt the cheese. Simple, but SO GOOD. The perfect weeknight casserole!
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It’s not even September yet and I am already throwing the casseroles at you guys. Yes, it’s true. I’m ready to switch things up. I’m ready for a bit of cozy, and well, I really just hope you all are ready too.
In all seriousness, this really is a perfect recipe for this time of year. The kids are all heading back to school, everyone is slowly coming back from summer vacations, and life is getting busy. Sure, it’s still hot out, but I’m feeling the autumn shift slowly creeping its way in. And with that comes dinner inspiration from my childhood. End of summer and back to school signals the part of my brain that has me thinking easy family dinners, midwest style.
I’m talking casseroles, tacos, slow cooker dinner, and soon enough, soups. Anyone else feel the same or what? It can’t just be me…
Growing up, broccoli cheddar anything was my favorite, but especially the broccoli cheddar soup from Panera bread. My other favorite? My dad’s rice bakes, which he’d make simple with so much broccoli and so much cheddar cheese. They were simple and delicious and I was so into them.
I got to thinking about combining the two together, and just like that, this recipe was formed. It’s not anything crazy creative, but I can assure you, it’s crazy delicious.
Like I said above, kind of like broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy rice casserole. And it’s is GOOD. Not nearly as soupy as soup, but not as heavy as a casserole. It’s got the perfect balance.
It all starts and ends in ONE pot. Or two if you’re like me and decide you want to bake this in a real casserole dish for the “real deal” midwest style casserole situation. I really love setting the mood.
Anyway, start with the basics. Cook your onion, add the chicken, give the chicken some time sear. Then add a touch of butter, some rice, orzo, and fresh thyme. Cook until you’ve got a nice toasty smell going, now add the broth, broccoli, and a few more seasonings. Cover and cook just like you would a normal pot of rice. Once this is finished cooking, stir in just a touch of milk for creaminess (swap in non-dairy milk, if needed), and lemon zest for a pop of freshness.
Top with cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is melty and the broccoli on top has a little char. Finish with fresh thyme and basil from the garden and dinner is served. Easy, right?
But yet so very good. The rice underneath stays soft and creamy while the cheese on top browns. The corners of the dish will form an insanely delicious, cheesy crust. Every bite is flavor and roll your eyes back good.
If you prefer to go the vegetarian route, simply omit the chicken from the dish. It’s truly just as delicious without or without, so do what works best for you and your family.
This dish brings back all the best memories from when I was a kid, huddled around the kitchen counter, eating chicken noodle casserole with my brothers. Of course, this is a much healthier dinner option, with so much more color than mom’s (super old school) chicken noodle casserole. But all the nostalgia is still there.
And no offense to my mom or dad, but personally I love my vegetable-filled casserole a bit more than their old school version. Sometimes you have to upgrade the classics a bit, you know?
Make this one for family and friends, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t love it.
If you make this broccoli cheddar chicken and rice casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch The How To Video:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice
- 1/2 cup dry orzo pasta , (use gluten free, if needed)
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for topping
- 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 cup whole milk or canned coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrot and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is seared, 2-3 minutes. Add the butter, rice, orzo, and thyme, and cook until golden and toasted, 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli, bay leaves, garlic powder, cayenne, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is mostly cooked.3. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the lemon zest, milk, and 1/2 cup of cheese. If needed, transfer the rice to an oven-safe casserole dish. Scatter the remaining cheese over top the casserole. 4. Transfer to the oven and bake 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown. Serve warm with additional thyme and fresh basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Very yummy! I doubled the chicken and used 1/2 cup less of rice. Kept everything else the same! My family loves it.
Hey Stephanie,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for choosing to make this recipe and taking the time to comment. Have a great Thursday!
Loved cooking it! Smelled amazing and tasted even better! Love this recipe will make again and recommend to friends!
Hey Emilia,
Thanks so much! I appreciate you making this recipe and taking the time to comment. So glad it was enjoyed!
This is delicious and so very easy. As I’ve aged, cooking has been difficult. With this recipe I had to keep looking at it but still made it perfectly. The rice was tender and I love the addition of orzo. (I had been looking for a recipe for orzo). The flavor was unique but very delicious. This is a recipe I will make for all my potluck dinners and I know it will be a hit. Thanks so much.
Hey Debbie,
Love to hear this! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback. Have a wonderful weekend!
I added seasoned panko before it went into the oven and its amazing. Also, don’t let yourself be held back if you dont have chicken broth. Water was a perfectly acceptable substitute. This meal was a hit with the family, including my 3 year old.
Thanks so much, Ben! Love to hear this dish was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
Have a great Thursday!
This recipe is one of my go-tos for easy Sunday dinners, or to make for neighbors. I normally use rotisserie chicken, and it’s a fail proof recipe. ❤️
Hey Kierra,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment!
Happy Sunday!
WILD RICE is the key to success in this recipe. It has to cook a little longer but making it with jasmine or basmati or any other single soft variety rice makes the whole dish a bit gruel like. A wild blend like Lundbergs makes the whole dish a bit more textural and more interesting to look at too.
I made this as is when the recipe was first posted a few years ago. Gave it another shot tonight with the wild rise substitution and it’s a smash hit!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment. So glad to hear it was enjoyed!
So glad I saw this comment before I made the recipe. Used wild rice and it was so so good. Can’t imagine I would have liked the texture of white rice but with wild rice it was great. Will definitely make again. Bonus: my toddler loved it.
This was great. I did use a mix of Indian spices with the chicken. Salt and pepper just aren’t enough because again…I’m Indian. I did sprinkle some breadcrumbs along with the cheese on the top and my kids loved it. Thank you Tieghan for a recipe that helped them actually eat a vegetable!
Hey Jiby,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win. Have a wonderful day!
This one was just okay for me. I even made the tweaks that others recommended, but it is not a keeper for me.
Hi Erika,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
I’ve made this one a few times now and I’ve found that it’s better to just do a little less that 1.25C of rice and omit the orzo (only ~2.5C of broth), otherwise it’s a VERY rice heavy casserole! I add 1.5TBSP of curry powder for extra flavor (and to make it more like my mom’s broccoli chicken casserole), and I use zest and juice from a whole lemon and that makes all the difference!
Thanks so much, Sarah! So glad to hear this recipe is always enjoyed, thanks for sharing what works well for you!
Just meh. I like a lot of your recipes but this one was a disappointment. Prob my fault lol but I just had to add more salt than I wanted to for it to have much flavor.
Hey there! I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Is there anything I can do to help? Thanks for the input! xT