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chicken rice casserole freshly cooked
Vagner Carvalho

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole with Broccoli

This chicken and rice casserole uses a homemade cheddar sauce instead of condensed soup. Cooked rice and cooked chicken make the final bake dependable, while briefly blanched broccoli adds color and texture.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Marinating, Rising or Resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 225 g dry long-grain white rice (1 1/8 cups)
  • 540 ml water (2 1/4 cups) for the rice
  • 450 g cooked chicken breast (1 pound), shredded
  • 300 g broccoli florets (about 4 cups), cut small
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 g)
  • 1 medium onion (150 g), diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (24 g)
  • 480 ml whole milk (2 cups)
  • 240 ml low-sodium chicken broth (1 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 170 g sharp cheddar (6 ounces), freshly shredded and divided

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Combine dry rice and measured water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently about 15 minutes, following the package if it differs. Rest covered 5 minutes, then fluff. The recipe uses cooked chicken; cook raw chicken separately to 165°F (74°C) before weighing it.
  2. Blanch broccoli in boiling water 2 minutes, then drain thoroughly. Alternatively steam until bright green and just starting to soften. Keep the florets small so they distribute evenly and finish cooking in the casserole.
  3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Soften onion for 5 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and broth until smooth. Simmer 3–5 minutes, stirring, until it coats a spoon.
  4. Remove sauce from the heat. Stir in salt, pepper, Dijon and two-thirds of the cheddar until melted. Fold in cooked rice, chicken and drained broccoli. Spread in the prepared dish without packing it down and scatter remaining cheddar over the top.
  5. Bake uncovered 25–30 minutes, until bubbling and 165°F (74°C) in the center. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Rest 10 minutes before dividing into six portions. Rice cooking overlaps with sauce preparation; total cooking time includes this overlap rather than adding every pan's minutes together.

Notes

Nutrition is a rough estimate per serving of the stated batch, excluding suggested sides and optional toppings. Brands, discarded coating, retained oil and portions affect values. Times are planning estimates; use the doneness cues. Images are illustrative.