This chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe is the perfect thing to make when you want to use up leftover rice or chicken! Just mix everything up in a casserole dish and pop it into the oven. No extra dirty dishes!
This creamy, dreamy chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe is from our friend Melissa, over at Beautiful Life and Home, and it is soooo good! Full of cheesy, rice-y goodness—even your kids will be begging for more! But really, could there be a better way to eat broccoli? 😉
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With only a handful of ingredients, this chicken broccoli rice casserole is a breeze to make any night of the week. Bonus: It's quick to whip up! In less than an hour, you'll have a piping hot meal on the table everyone will love. Dinnertime win!
CHICKEN BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE USING LEFTOVERS
It's super easy to use leftovers in this chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe! Simply grab some leftover rice and chicken and you literally can just dump it all in a casserole dish and bake. How easy is that?
No leftovers to start with? No worries—it's easy to make from scratch, too. That means you'll need to make some rice (instant rice is fine) and bake some chicken. But both of those things are pretty darn easy, so don't sweat it!
HOW TO MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS
There are plenty of substitutions you can make in this chicken broccoli rice casserole to use up what you already have on hand. Here are some of our favorite tried-and-true subs!
- Broccoli – Fresh or frozen will work in this recipe, but you'll want to steam it first! We steam broccoli (frozen or fresh) in a special plastic steamer in the microwave. For fresh broccoli, microwave on high for two minutes. For frozen broccoli, microwave on high for two-and-a-half minutes.
- Chicken – This recipe calls for cooked chicken breast cut into chunks, but any chicken will work great! Shredded, dark, light, canned… They will all taste amazing!
- Rice – Again, as long as your rice is cooked, any type of rice works! (Oven-baked rice is the easiest because you don't have to stand over it, constantly stirring!)
- Cheese – This recipe doesn't specify a type of cheese, so use whatever you have. Cheddar works great, but seriously, don't be afraid to use whatever variety you have stuffed in the back of your fridge!
- Cream of Chicken Soup – Out of cream of chicken? Use cream of mushroom instead or make your own!
This recipe is perfect for shelf cooking! Not sure what shelf cooking is? It's all about learning to use what you have on hand so you can spend less time and money running to the store when you don't have exactly what a recipe calls for!
Check out this post all about shelf cooking to find out what you're missing! Trust us, you won't be disappointed.
CAN I ADJUST THE AMOUNTS?
Yes, you can! This is one of those recipes that is really hard to mess up. If you happen to have more rice than called for, or less chicken, no worries! Just dump it all in and mix it up – it'll still taste great! The only thing we would advise against is using TOO much more rice since it will dilute the flavor of the sauce.
WHAT TO PAIR WITH CHICKEN BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE
This dish is a great stand-alone meal! However, we always love a good side dish, so here are a few of our favorites!
- French Bread – This easy French bread recipe pairs perfectly with this rich and creamy casserole!
- Spinach Salad – Whip up a great salad like our strawberry spinach salad for a healthy and delicious side.
- String Cheese Stuffed Crescent Rolls – These string cheese stuffed crescent rolls are so easy to make and totally drool-worthy!
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes – Hey, who says you can't double up on carbs and cheese every now and then? Live a little! These cheesy scalloped potatoes are incredible!
- Chocolate Bundt Cake – In the mood for dessert? This doctored-up bundt cake is ah-ma-zing!
So yummy, right?! Only one more tip before we get to the deliciously easy recipe!
HOW TO FREEZE
Like the title says, this chicken broccoli rice casserole is a freezer meal of champions! Go crazy and make a double batch—one for now and one for later! Simply put your casserole together in a covered airtight, oven-safe container (foil pans work great!) and pop that baby in the freezer for another busy weeknight meal.
When you're ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as usual. Easy as pie… er, uh, casserole!
YOUR NEW FAVORITE EASY DISH!
Alright, let's get on to the chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe already! Easy, quick, and delicious… This will become a staple in your home for sure!
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets, steamed
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1-2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cups cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Mix the cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a large casserole dish.
- Add the steamed broccoli, cooked rice, cooked chicken, and shredded cheese. Stir everything together.
- Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is hot.
Notes
You won't even have to worry about doing the dishes—you'll be licking your plate clean! (Juuuust kidding! Please still wash your dishes, even if they look clean!) Enjoy!
What's your favorite way to eat broccoli rice casserole? Tell us in the comments below!
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Want more great recipes?
- If you're looking for an easy way to cook a ham, try it out in the slow cooker!
- These soft, chewy cookies have a secret ingredient nobody can resist!
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Have a super rice day!
This looks absolutely fantastic! Can’t wait to try it!
It’s so good! Let me know how you like it!
Feel free to swap rice with quinoa or another whole grain substitute and the broccoli for any sauteed vegetables. It all depends on your and your family’s preference.
Most definitely, that’s so true! Or do a little shelf cooking and swap it out with whatever you have on hand that needs to be used up!
Hey can I freeze this?
Yes! Just make sure that you put it in a freezer container like this one 🙂
Love this easy recipe! I try not to use canned soups so I mixed the drippings from my chicken (after cooking it in my crockpot) with some mayo and cream cheese and the taste was amazing! Love how you can just mix everything together. Leftovers were just as good the next day. Will definitely make this again, and again.
Wow! thanks for sharing, this is awesome. We love adapting to what works for you and your needs! Shelf Cooking at it’s finest.
Can you make it without mayonnaise? Any suggestions on substitutions?