Chicken Broccoli Rice Casseroleis a classic comfort dish for a good reason! It’s rich, creamy, cheesy, and oh-so filling. This one dish, four-step recipe is about as tasty and easy as it gets!

Chicken broccoli rice casserole is a dish that does it all! Each bite is packed with protein, veggies, and fiber, making it a well-rounded, one dish meal. Plus, this casserole-style dinner complements almost any event or function.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Serve this cheesy casserole at your next dinner party, take it to the neighborhood potluck, or drop it off for a friend in need. You can even prep this dish ahead of time and store it in the freezer for months; perfect for when you need a hearty and nutritious meal in a pinch!

Give this creamy, salty casserole a bit of a kick with some spicy ingredient swaps! Trade the shredded cheddar cheese for pepper jack and the grilled chicken for a spicy breaded or glazed chicken. You can also toss in some red pepper flakes, buffalo sauce, diced jalapeños, or tabasco to really turn up the heat! The resultingspicy chicken broccoli rice casserolemight be even more addicting than the original!

Combine two classic comfort dishes to createchicken broccoli bacon ranch casserole! Simply add some crispy chopped bacon and a packet of ranch dressing mix to the rice mixture. Bake, serve, and enjoy as normal!

Not a huge fan of broccoli? You can omit it orswap it out for another type of vegetable. Cauliflower, peas, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, and asparagus would all be great additions to this dish.

Ingredient Notes

Grilled Chicken—Cut into bite-sized pieces. You can also use any leftover shredded, baked, or rotisserie chicken you might have on hand.
Broccoli—Cooked until fork tender.
White Rice—Boiled according to package directions.
Cheddar Cheese—Shredded.
Chicken Broth—Creates a savory, salty, and creamy base for this casserole.
Spices—A 50/50 blend of garlic powder and minced onion.

How to Make Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

In a large mixing bowl, combine the white rice, chicken broth, grilled chicken, broccoli, garlic powder, minced onion, and most of the cheddar cheese.
Transfer this mixture to a well-greased baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake until the casserole base is bubbly and the cheese on top has slightly browned.
Serve warm and enjoy!

raw ingredients for broccoli rice casserole in portioned dishes

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you cook rice before adding it to casserole?

For this recipe, you need to completely cook the rice before adding it to the casserole. Uncooked rice takes a long time to soften in the oven—by the time it’s no longer crunchy, the broccoli would be mush. The good news is that you can use almost any kind of precooked rice in this dish—minute rice, jasmine, brown, and cauliflower rice all work!

What to serve with broccoli rice casserole?

I like serving this comfort dish alongside other classic and hearty side dishes. Homemade dinner rolls, roasted smashed potatoes, creamed corn, and bacon-wrapped asparagus are some of my favorite sides to pair with this casserole.

Do you cook casserole covered or uncovered?

Because all the ingredients in this casserole are precooked, you can bake it uncovered! You want a lot of the moisture in this dish to evaporate so that your broccoli chicken rice casserole comes out creamy and scoopable.

top view of wooden spoon scooping chicken broccoli rice casserole from the baking dish

How to Store Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

If you have any cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole leftover, I recommend storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Any leftover casserole can be reheated in the microwave in 30-second increments; don’t forget to stir it periodically! Heat until warmed through and add an extra splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems too dry.

Chicken broccoli rice casserole is also a great dish to make ahead of time! Simply prepare the dish as normal, top it with shredded cheddar cheese, cover it with a layer of plastic wrap or tin foil, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow any frozen casserole to thaw overnight before baking as normal.

Expert Tips and Tricks

You can used steamed frozen broccoli or sautéed fresh broccoli in this dish; both are delicious!
I like to use a sharp cheddar cheese because I find that the flavor cuts through the creaminess of this dish quite nicely. However, you can also use a medium or mild cheddar in this chicken broccoli rice casserole.
If possible, shred your own cheese to use in this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese won’t melt as well, leaving your casserole goopy instead of thick and creamy.
Boost the homecooked flavor of this dish by replacing the dried spices with fresh garlic and onion! Sauté these two vegetables together until softened before adding them to the casserole.

top view of uncooked whole baking dish with chicken broccoli rice casserole

More Recipes

If you’ve tried thisBroccoli Chicken and Rice Casserolerecipe or any other recipe on Rcova, then don’t forget torate the recipeand leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

You are going to love this one dish meal that isChicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole. Great for a busy weeknight meal and tasty enough for a Sunday dinner. I am excited for you to try it!