Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Creamy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
A golden breadcrumb topping makes this chicken and rice casserole particularly inviting. Underneath, broccoli and mushrooms mingle with the chicken in a creamy cheese sauce. Scoop down through the topping so you get some crunch alongside the soft rice and vegetables in each serving.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 20 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Casseroles · Rice dishes
A few quick notes
1. Cook the rice first
The rice goes into the casserole already cooked, so start it before the chicken and vegetables. That way it’s ready to stir in when the sauce is done.
2. Keep the broccoli a little firm
The broccoli only needs to turn bright green and soften slightly in the pan. It still has time in the oven, so don’t cook it down too far at the start.
3. Broil with an eye on it
After the covered bake, the topping browns quickly under the broiler. Stay close for those last few minutes and pull it when the crumbs look lightly golden.
Get to know the ingredients
Long grain white rice
Use cooked long grain white rice here, not raw rice added to the casserole dish. The separate cooking step gives the finished bake its proper texture.
Warm milk for the sauce
The milk is warmed before it’s whisked into the butter and flour. Add it gradually and keep whisking so the sauce thickens smoothly before the cheeses go in.
Fresh broccoli and mushrooms
The vegetables cook briefly in the same pan after the chicken. Add the mushrooms and garlic after the broccoli has started to soften so they don’t overdo it.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Creamy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Once the casserole has baked under foil, take the foil off and switch to broil. You’re just giving the Parmesan and panko a lightly golden finish, not cooking the casserole all over again.
A little more help as you go
Build it in the big pan
After the vegetables are cooked, the rice, chicken and cheese sauce all get stirred together in the Dutch oven before moving to the baking dish. Use a pan with enough room for mixing.
Season in two places
The chicken gets salt and pepper while it cooks, and the cheese sauce gets seasoned salt and more pepper. Taste is built in layers here, rather than only at the end.
A few questions you might have
Can I add the rice uncooked to the casserole?
No. The rice is cooked with water first, then stirred into the vegetables, chicken and cheese sauce before baking.
How cooked should the chicken be before it goes into the casserole?
Cook it through in the pan before setting it aside. The oven step heats the assembled casserole and browns the topping, but the chicken is already done by then.
Why remove the cheese sauce from the heat before adding the cheese?
The sauce thickens first, then comes off the heat before the mozzarella and cheddar are stirred in. That helps the cheese melt into the sauce rather than continuing to cook hard on the burner.
When do the mushrooms and garlic go in?
Add them after the onion, celery and broccoli have cooked for several minutes. They only need another few minutes in the pan before everything is mixed together.
Do I bake it covered the whole time?
Cover it with foil for the main bake, then remove the foil and broil briefly so the Parmesan and panko topping can brown.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: fromvalerieskitchen.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
