Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the healthy, cheesy, and easy recipe that will please everyone at your table. The flavors are simple and appealing, the prep is easy, and unlike many other casserole recipes, this casserole contains NO SOUP!
Crowd-pleasing dishes like chicken broccoli rice casserole (and its cousins, Broccoli Rice Casserole, Broccoli Quinoa Casserole, and Cheesy Corn Quinoa Casserole with Chicken) were a fixture at our table growing up.
My mom was the casserole QUEEN. She wore a crown of Pyrex and carried a scepter of nonstick baking spray.
Not only could she make a casserole from scratch, but she could transform any (and I mean any) leftover in our home into a creamy, cheesy casserole of sorts.
A mix of brown rice, quickly sautéed chicken, and fresh broccoli, this casserole offers every food group in a single meal. There is no soup to be found (cream of, canned, or otherwise).
Instead, the smooth, bubbly cheese sauce is made with Greek yogurt and cheddar, just like in this Chicken and Rice Casserole.
This casserole recipe is easy to scale up to feed a crowd and to make and freeze ahead (it’s a favorite meal to give to new mothers among our fries).
It saves and reheats like a dream, making it an ideal option for healthy lunches and dinners throughout the week.
5 Star Review
“I never review recipes but this one is AMAZING!!! It tastes just like the cheesy broccoli rice my mom makes for holidays only, but with significantly less calories! Added to my favorites!”
— Paige —
How to Make Healthy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This chicken broccoli rice casserole wins the casserole gold star for its easy prep, ability to be reheated, homey flavor, and undeniably addictive cheesy goodness.
It’s filling and comforting while boasting a wholesome ingredients list.
The Ingredients
- Instant Brown Rice. To keep this recipe quick and simple, you do have to briefly cook the instant rice before putting it in the casserole. I chose to use brown rice for its added fiber.
- Chicken Breasts. Lean chicken breast keeps this casserole on the lighter side while still adding filling protein. While you can put raw chicken in a casserole, we’re going to sautĂ© it first for this recipe to make sure it cooks through.
- Broccoli Florets. Packed with fiber and vitamins, broccoli is a powerhouse casserole ingredient. Once baked with the chicken and cheesy sauce, even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy this green veggie.
- Spices. A simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder adds approachable seasoning to this casserole.
- All-Purpose Flour + Milk + Greek Yogurt. Instead of less nutritious canned soups, a mixture of flour, milk, and yogurt creates the base for this casserole’s creamy, luscious sauce.
- Dijon Mustard. Adds tanginess and helps enhance the cheesy flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar is my favorite, because a little goes a long way. It’s bold, beloved, and a perfect pairing with the broccoli.
The Directions
- Boil the stock, then add the rice and broccoli. Remove the pot from the heat, and let sit.
- Sauté the chicken.
- Cook the sauce, then stir in the Dijon and remaining seasonings. Add the yogurt and cheese.
- Stir it all together.
- Transfer to a baking dish, and top with the remaining cheese. Bake the chicken broccoli rice casserole at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate casserole in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- To Freeze. Freeze casserole in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You can freeze this either before or after baking it. Be sure your dish is freezer safe.
Meal Plan Tip
Chop the broccoli up to 1 day in advance, and refrigerate it in an airtight storage container.
What to Serve with Broccoli Casserole
Recommended Tools to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Baking Dish. Perfect for making this casserole.
- Measuring Spoons. These double-sided spoons are magnetic for easy storage.
- Measuring Cup. Microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe.
The Best Baking Dish
This beautiful and high-quality baking dish is ideal for casseroles. It will last you a lifetime!
Could I be dubbed the Queen of Casseroles one day? Aside from the weird premonitions of becoming my mother, I’ll take the casserole-queen title with compliments.
Please pass me my Pyrex crown.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups instant brown rice if you use white rice or non-instant rice, the cooking time and amount of liquid needed may differ
- 1 pound broccoli florets chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into bite-size pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk divided (I used skim)
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese divided (about 6 ounces)
Instructions
- Place a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9-inch-square baking dish or a 3-quart casserole dish.
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot, then add the rice. Return to a boil, add the broccoli to the top of the rice (no need to stir it together), then cover, reduce the heat to low, and let cook 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and let sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. Most of the rice liquid should be absorbed.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large deep pot over medium-high. Add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Sauté until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 4 to 6 minutes, then remove to a plate. Being careful not to burn yourself, wipe the pot clean with a paper towel.
- Reduce the heat to medium. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup milk. Pour the mixture into the pot, then add the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Dijon, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir in the Greek yogurt and 1 cup of the shredded cheese until smooth.
- Add the rice and broccoli mixture and the reserved chicken to the cheese sauce, stirring gently to coat.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve.
Nutrition
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This was such a success! Loved making it but better I shared it with coworkers, & they LOVED it! I’d rate this a 10 & give it a Blue ribbon. đź‘Ťđź‘Ť
HI Lisa-Marie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
love the multiplyer you have for ingredients problem I see is when you start to make ingredients stay 1x and not 2x if that is what you picked so you have to look at step and go back to ingredients to get proper amounts
Hi Bruce! Glad you enjoy it and thanks for the tip! Unfortunately that is a recipe card issue that I am not able to fix on my end.
Love this recipe, but please remember to add the Sodium information for people who need to be sodium aware! So sad that people forget this. Too much sodium is just as important as other things! No heart, no life.
Hi Laura! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!