We’re obsessed with this modern take on Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole–a guaranteed crowd-pleaser dinner. The wildly flavorful filling is made with pre-cooked chicken, lots of fresh broccoli, perfectly cooked rice, homemade cream of mushroom soup (no canned!), cheese, and Greek yogurt for creaminess. Top with buttery breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly for the ultimate comfort food meal!
My mom’s epic “chicken and broccoli” was on regular rotation growing up. Obviously mayo was the focal point, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
When I set out to create my own version of this nostalgic, quintessentially retro main, I wanted the same irresistibly creamy texture and crave-worthy flavor but with my healthy-ish spin on it. Dare I say mission accomplished? This recipe is SOOO GOOD.
Think layers of mega flavor thanks to our scratch-made soup stand-in, winning yogurt + cheese combo, and tender (but not mush status) rice.
Pssst if chicken and rice bakes are your thing, don’t miss my Honey Mustard Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole for more meal-worthy veg casserole goodness!
The low down on ingredients
- Broccoli: For ease, we’re using a full 12oz bag of broccoli, which is about 4 cups of chopped florets if you’re going off broccoli crowns. We’ll par-cook it so it’s crisp tender and then not mushy post-bake. If you wanted to use frozen, I’d suggest thawing and draining it first so you don’t end up with a soupy casserole, ew.
- Cream of mushroom soup (from scratch!): Instead of condensed soup, we’re maximizing the flavor opportunity with buttery sautéed onion, fresh mushrooms, and garlic. Then we’ll thicken it with flour and whisk in milk, soy sauce and chicken broth for amazing umami flavor that beats the canned stuff every time.
- Rice: The key to success with this casserole is mastering the delicate balance of the rice being fully cooked (ahem, not crunchy) but not turning to mush, either. That comes down 1) having enough liquid, and 2) covering it and cooking it long enough. Check and check! This isn’t the place for brown rice; it wouldn’t cook in time. Also not the place for instant; you’d need less liquid.
- Cheese: I love a mix of nutty gruyere and cheddar, but feel free to use all cheddar or you could even do some grated parmesan on top. If you love cheese, add more cheese. Gruyere makes me feel fancy, I can’t lie.
- Chicken: Cooked shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken work great because it’s one less step. You could also use thigh if that’s your jam. The nice thing is it doesn’t dry out! If you want to use raw chicken, chop it up and cook it in a skillet until it’s almost done and it’ll fully cook in the oven.
- Greek yogurt: Plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt is our mayo/sour cream stand-in and I swear it works shockingly well here to add creaminess! A higher fat percentage like 2% or whole milk yogurt helps mimic the mayo vibe even more.
- Panko: The crunch in the topping is bomb. Classic recipes use Ritz crackers which you can totally do, but the breadcrumb cheese combo elevates it a bit.
Let’s make it!
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To make ahead, you can fully assemble it up to 1 day in advance, tightly cover it with foil, and bake per the recipe (let it come to room temp before baking).
You can also freeze the baked and cooled casserole (tightly covered). Defrost it overnight in the fridge, and bake per the recipe. Voila!
I hope you’re as obsessed with this chicken and broccoli casserole as I am!
I’d be super grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a quick star rating and review below. Comments mean the world to me and your honest feedback helps me to continue to share recipes you’ll crave.
We’re so retro.
Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole (no soup!)
-
Prep Time:
20 minutes -
Cook Time:
40 minutes -
Total Time:
1 hour -
Yield:
4–6 servings 1x -
Category:
Main Meals -
Method:
Oven -
Cuisine:
American -
Diet:
Gluten Free
Description
We’re obsessed with this modern take on Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole–a guaranteed crowd-pleaser dinner. The wildly flavorful filling is made with pre-cooked chicken, lots of fresh broccoli, perfectly cooked rice, homemade cream of mushroom soup (no canned!), cheese, and Greek yogurt for creaminess. Top with buttery breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly for the ultimate comfort food meal!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place one oven rack in the middle and one in the second highest spot for when we broil later. Spray an 8×11 inch or 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Warm butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Par-cook the broccoli: Dump bag into a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of water. Cover with a plate and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour and cook for another minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup broth, milk, soy sauce, salt and pepper, stirring often. Cook for 5-7 minutes (it should be simmering), stirring often, until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Make topping by mixing melted butter, breadcrumbs, cheese, and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Measure out remaining 1 ½ cups broth in a liquid measuring cup. Add yogurt and gently whisk to combine. Pour into baking dish along with mushroom sauce, rice, broccoli florets, shredded chicken, and 1 cup of the cheese. Use a spatula to stir everything together, making sure everything is submerged.
- Top with the panko mixture. Tightly cover dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil. Carefully remove foil and transfer casserole to the second from the highest spot and broil until the top is golden brown, about 3-5 minutes (watching closely to make sure it doesn’t burn). Dig in! (If rice still isn’t cooked, continue cooking, covered with foil, at 375F until rice is tender.)
Notes
*Jasmine rice will cook the fastest of the white rice varieties and be done in the oven on the earlier end of the cooking time. Long grain white rice and basmati will take a bit longer. Brown rice won’t work here because it takes way longer to cook and may need more liquid. Baking times will vary–to know when it’s done, take a bite and check that the rice is tender.
If I don’t have rotisserie chicken on hand, I love making shredded chicken in the Instant Pot. Simply place 1 cup water or broth at the bottom. Top with 2 pieces of chicken. Season liberally with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 10 minutes then quick release. Cool and shred (you’ll have extra)!
Gluten free: sub soy sauce for tamari and gluten free panko.
