Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole
It’s been rainy and cold this week, so of course, I’m craving comfort food. After looking through the fridge, I made this cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole recipe topped with crushed Ritz crackers. This homey and delicious chicken and broccoli casserole was cheesy, creamy, and so comforting! We had friends over for dinner, and we all enjoyed this casserole, adults & kids included, and we thought it paired nicely with a garden salad and baked bread.
Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole
Casserole:
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 6 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, trimmed of fat & cut into small bite-sized pieces
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups sharp cheddar, divided
- 3 cups leftover garlic rice
Topping:
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1½ cups Ritz crackers, crushed (or plain panko crumbs would be fine)
How to Make a Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole:
Prepare the casserole by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Fill a bowl with ice water.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli florets and immediately plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the bright green color.
Remove the cooled broccoli florets to a plate lined with paper towels to drain well.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken breasts and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer the chicken and juices to a bowl; set aside.
Heat two tablespoons of butter in the same large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are softened and the mushrooms are golden.
Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Transfer to the same bowl as the chicken; set aside.
Heat the final three tablespoons of butter in the same large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour once the butter has melted and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes, until golden and smelling nutty.
Slowly add the milk in a steady stream while continually whisking. Bring the sauce to a simmer to let it thicken for a few minutes.
Turn off the heat and whisk in 2 cups of the sharp cheddar, a handful at a time, making sure the cheese completely melts before adding another handful. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Add the chicken, mushrooms, onion, broccoli florets, and leftover rice and stir until combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Next, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly over the casserole.
Make the topping by combining the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter; mix until well combined.
Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy.
Ingredients
Casserole:
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 6 tbsp butter divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, trimmed of fat & cut into small bite-sized pieces
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups sharp cheddar divided
- 3 cups leftover rice
Topping:
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1½ cups Ritz crackers crushed (or plain panko crumbs would be fine)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Prepare the broccoli by filling a bowl with ice water. Set aside.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 30 seconds.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli florets and immediately plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the bright green color.
- Remove the cooled broccoli florets to a plate lined with paper towels to drain well.
- Prepare the chicken by heating 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced chicken breasts and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer the chicken and juices to a bowl; set aside.
- Prepare the mushrooms and onions by heating two tablespoons of butter in the same large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the mushrooms and onion, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until the onions and mushrooms are golden and softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Transfer to the same bowl as the chicken; set aside.
- Make the sauce by heating the final three tablespoons of butter in the same large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the flour once the butter has melted and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes, until golden and smelling nutty.
- Slowly add the milk in a steady stream while continually whisking. Bring the sauce to a simmer to let it thicken for a few minutes.
- Whisk in 2 cups of the sharp cheddar, a handful at a time, making sure the cheese completely melts before adding another handful. Remove from heat.
- Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Finish the casserole by adding the chicken, mushrooms, onion, broccoli florets, and leftover rice to the cheese sauce, and stirring until combined.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Next, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly over the casserole.
- Make the topping by combining the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter; mix until well combined.
- Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
- Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy.
Comforting and delicious…so perfect for the season!
Made this for supper tonight (March 20,2021) perfect!
Looks very good Pam and good that you can create it from ingredients you have on hand.
Great dish from leftovers – a girl after my own heart. This looks delicious and comforting.
That is perfect comfort food! I’ve had something similar in a local restaurant, but with linguini instead of rice.
My husband would love this casserole especially with the Ritz cracker and cheese topping. 🙂