I’m alllll about comforting casseroles in winter, and this Chicken and Rice Casserole is such a classic! It’s warm, filling, and oh-so cheesy. If you like broccoli cheddar casserole, you’re going to love this recipe. I’ve taken the classic broccoli cheddar side dish and added a few more vegetables and chunks of juicy chicken breast to make it a full meal. But because it’s made with mostly pantry and freezer staples, it’s still a solid budget-friendly option for tight grocery weeks. This cheesy chicken and rice casserole is all the creamy, comforting goodness you’ll need to survive the winter. #thestruggleisreal
“This was absolutely delicious! We used fresh broccoli instead of frozen(just what I had on hand) and did no salt so our one year old could eat it as well. He LOVED it! Definitely a plus when the picky eater wants seconds! :) Will definitely be keeping this for our meal rotations!”
Naomi
The Coziest Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake
This casserole has a similar flavor to the classic many of us grew up with, but there’s no canned soup in sight. Instead, I make a quick homemade creamy sauce with butter, flour, broth, and milk, then fold in chicken, rice, veggies, and cheese for a genuinely hearty, from-scratch dinner. I’ve also bumped up the seasonings since I first shared this recipe (which was way back in 2017!), with extra smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder for a more savory flavor all the way through. Your whole family is going to LOVE this one.
P.S. I’ve definitely eaten the leftovers for breakfast more than once, and I’m not even sorry about it. I simply cannot resist cheesy rice! 🤤
Recipe Success Tips
Try a different long-grain rice. I use long-grain white rice, but you can use brown rice or any long-grain rice you like. Just cook it according to the package directions first. Cook times and water ratios vary a lot depending on the rice used.
Use day-old rice if you’ve got it. This recipe originally listed 4 cups of cooked rice as an ingredient, but I’ve since updated the instructions to have you cook the rice fresh, as not everyone has leftover rice on hand. That said, just as with fried rice, day-old or chilled rice works even better here because it’s a little firmer. So, this cheesy chicken and rice casserole is excellent for using up leftover rice, or if you like to cook big batches of rice and freeze it. You need 4 cups of cooked rice total.
Start thawing the broccoli first, so it chops easier. I use frozen broccoli florets to cut down on the prep work for this dish. I like to pull about ½ lb. frozen florets from the freezer and let them soften just enough to cut, then chop into smaller bite-sized pieces. If you want to use fresh, make sure to steam or boil them until al dente before adding to the casserole.
Let the sauce simmer until thickened. The roux (butter and flour mix) needs a little heat to thicken properly. Gently simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Leftover chicken is fair game. Any cooked chicken you need to use up works great here, like a pre-cooked chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or shredded chicken. Skip the browning step and add the cooked chicken (diced or shredded) when you combine the filling in step 7.
Use less cheese to save some money. If you want cheesy but just not super-duper cheesy, simply skip the layer of cheese on top and bake as-is (cover with foil), or top it with buttered bread crumbs for a crunchy topping.
Prep it ahead of time. You can assemble this chicken and rice casserole up to one day ahead, then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Since it’s going into the oven cold, plan to add a few extra minutes to the bake time so it heats all the way through.
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Chicken and Rice Casserole
This Chicken and Rice Casserole is a comfort food classic, made from scratch with tons of juicy chicken, cheese, vegetables, and rice!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Total Cost $7.60 recipe / $1.27 serving
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 55 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour10 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Calories 513kcal
Author Beth Moncel
Equipment
8×10 Casserole Dish
Sauce Pan
Large 12" skillet
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray$0.01
1½cupslong grain white riceuncooked (315g) $0.61
3cupswater$0.00
1chicken breastboneless & skinless, cut in ½ -in cubes (about 2/3 lb., 11 oz., 311g) $1.84*
Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8×10 casserole dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
Cook the rice according to the package. This should yield 4 cups of cooked rice.
While the rice cooks, cut the chicken into ½-inch cubes and season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and sear the chicken for about 2 minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer to a large bowl.
Turn the heat to medium and add the onion and carrots to the skillet and sauté until the onions are softened, for about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions and carrots to the bowl with the chicken.
In the same skillet, add the butter and flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture becomes foamy, then continue cooking for about one more minute.
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer until thickened. Whisk in the milk and simmer again until the sauce coats a spoon. Turn off the heat and season with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and the remaining salt and pepper.
Add the chopped broccoli florets, cooked rice, and ½ of the shredded cheddar (about 1 cup) to the bowl with the chicken, onions, and carrots.
Pour the sauce over the rice mixture in the bowl and stir until everything is combined and coated in sauce. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the casserole.
Bake the casserole, uncovered, for about 35 minutes or until it becomes golden brown around the edges. Serve hot.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
*I use boneless, skinless chicken breast in this casserole to keep it classic, but you can use diced chicken thighs if that’s a better fit for your budget.
**I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broth. If you use a low sodium broth, you may need to add extra salt to the sauce to get the best flavor.
***Frozen or fresh broccoli will work. Steam or boil fresh broccoli until al dente before using.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole Step-by-Step Photos
Gather and prep all your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray an 8×10 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set the dish aside for now.
Cook the rice: Cook 1½ cups long grain rice in 3 cups water according to the package directions. For white long-grain rice, this generally takes about 15 minutes, but different varieties can vary, so be sure to follow the package directions. You can also use my guide on how to cook white rice. 1½ cups long grain rice should yield 4 cups of cooked rice.
Brown the chicken: While the rice cooks, slice 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast into 1/2-inch cubes. Then season the chicken with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the chicken pieces and sear for about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl.
Sauté the veggies: Now turn the heat to medium and add 1 diced yellow onion and 3 peeled and diced carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions soften. Add the onions and carrots to the bowl with the browned chicken.
Make the sauce: In the same skillet, add 3 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp flour to make your roux (which thickens the sauce). Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture becomes foamy, then continue cooking for about one more minute. This cooks the raw flour taste out of the roux.
Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer until thickened.
Then whisk in 1 cup whole milk and let it come up to a simmer again (don’t boil), at which point it will thicken to a nice sauce. The sauce should coat a spoon once thickened enough.
Season the sauce: Turn off the heat and add ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and the remaining 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper to the sauce.
You want the sauce to be fairly salty at this point, so it doesn’t get too diluted once mixed with the rice and vegetables. The orange-y color above is due to the smoked paprika.
Assemble the casserole: Place the chopped broccoli florets, cooked rice, and half the shredded cheddar (about 1 cup) to the bowl with the chicken, onions, and carrots. Now pour the sauce over the rice mixture in the bowl. Stir until everything is combined and coated in sauce.
Pour the mixture into your prepared casserole dish and evenly smooth it out. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the casserole.
Bake: Place the casserole dish, uncovered, into your preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until it becomes golden brown around the edges.
Serve: And then the cheesy goodness is ready to devour! Serve hot and enjoy.
Seriously. Yes. This chicken and rice casserole is EVERYTHING.
Variations to Try!
If you want to have fun and make this chicken and rice casserole recipe your own, try some of these variations:
Add peas to the vegetable mix
Use a buttered breadcrumb and Parmesan topping instead of cheddar cheese
Make it gluten-free by swapping the flour for a 1-1 gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF all-purpose flour is an option often recommended from our readers)
Make it dairy-free by using unsweetened almond milk, dairy-free butter, and a vegan cheese alternative
Add hot sauce and/or red pepper flakes to the cheese sauce to make it spicy
Add cooked and crumbled bacon with the chicken
Add sautéed mushrooms to the vegetable mix
Use turkey or leftover baked ham instead of chicken
Add thawed frozen spinach to the vegetable mix
Make it vegetarian by swapping the chicken for vegetarian chicken pieces or a can of drained and rinsed white beans and using vegetable broth (also use almond milk, vegan butter, and a shredded vegan cheese alternative for a vegan variation!)
Serving Suggestions
I’m happy to pile this chicken and rice casserole into a bowl, grab a spoon, and DIG IN! But I do love a sprinkle of sliced green onion or a few shakes of hot sauce on top sometimes. If you want to round out the meal with some sides, I’d go for sautéed green beans or air-fried asparagus. And if you’re feeling extra cozy, add some dinner rolls or warm bread for scooping.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover chicken broccoli rice casserole in a tightly covered container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, then warm in the microwave or in a 325ºF oven until hot.
You can also freeze this casserole before baking. Assemble everything in a freezer and oven-safe dish, wrap it well (a layer of plastic wrap plus foil works great), and freeze. When you’re ready, thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake as directed until hot and bubbly. Add some extra time in the oven to account for it being chilled. Cover with foil if the top browns too much before the center is heated through.
