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Home » Recipes » Dinner » Flavorful Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Flavorful Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

By Taesha Butler January 12, 2021 (Updated October 11, 2022) 32 Comments

Servings8 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 13 votes

This easy chicken broccoli rice casserole is going to be a new favorite healthy family dinner recipe. Flavorful, full of good-for-you ingredients and a complete meal all in on dish! Easily dairy-free and gluten free.

Chicken broccoli casserole fresh from the oven and on the table. A spoon is in the casserole and there are plates and forks next to it on the table.

Healthy casserole recipe

Casseroles are kind of an easy dinner staple. At least in my head…for what it is worth.

Mix everything up. Toss it into one dish. Bake it up. Eat. The end. What is not to love and appreciate!? Especially since leftovers almost always seem to happen when a casserole is on the dinner menu. Plus, casseroles are super easy to transport, making them ideal for potlucks, family dinners or to bring to a family you adore that needs someone to take care of dinner for them (so, pin this for any families expecting a new baby!).

Broccoli and chicken is definitely a staple casserole combo, but I wanted to put my own veggie-loaded twist on it by mellowing out the dairy and upping the fiber with brown rice and extra broccoli! The flavor of this healthy casserole doesn’t disappoint and will 100% a new family favorite!

Recipe created in collaboration with Heather Staller.

Suggested adaptations

Make this broccoli casserole vegetarian. You can easily leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Add some cooked chickpeas to the casserole for a boost of plant based protein, if you like.

Need dairy-free? Easy! The cheese on top is completely optional. Broil for a few minutes after baking and you can gets a delicious browned top that will add some extra flavor and texture to the dish without adding any cheese.

Use white rice instead of brown rice. You can use cooked white rice or even cooked quinoa in this recipe if you’d prefer.

Use frozen rice. Many grocery stores (like Trader Joe’s) sell precooked frozen brown rice. It is a great time-saving short-cut since frozen rice can be found in most grocery stores these days and makes this casserole that much easier to throw together.

Swap fresh broccoli for the frozen. Just make a few minor changes to the recipe: chop your fresh broccoli into small florets so they cook all the way through during the baking and add an additional 1/4 cup of broth over the top of the casserole before baking.

Add even more veggies to the recipe. Swap out 1 cup of cooked rice for 1 cup cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen). You could also stir in some grated carrot, chopped spinach, or small cauliflower florets. 

Chicken broccoli casserole fresh from the oven and on the table. A spoon is in the casserole.

Other veggie-loaded casserole recipes.

  • Ranch Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole
  • Baked Pasta with Eggplant
  • Veggie-Loaded Turkey Lasagna
  • Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole
  • Sausage Leek & Mushroom Breakfast Casserole

Loving this healthy broccoli chicken casserole and hungry for more?

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Chicken broccoli casserole on a white plate with a salad and fork.
Print Recipe
5 from 13 votes

Flavorful Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

This easy chicken broccoli rice casserole is going to be a new favorite healthy family dinner recipe. Flavorful, full of healthy ingredients and a complete meal all in on dish! Easily dairy-free and gluten free.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: broccoli and rice casserole, broccoli casserole, chicken and rice casserole, chicken casserole, healthy casserole, healthy dinner recipe, healthy family dinner
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 290kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 4 cups cooked brown rice
  • 16 ounces frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch cubes* see notes for using cooked chicken
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil + extra for greasing
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese or to taste and optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉ and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with oil.
  • Add rice and broccoli to the bottom of the baking dish. If any of the broccoli florets are much larger than the other, you may want to cut them smaller.
  • Toss chicken pieces with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and a few grinds of black pepper. Distribute the seasoned chicken evenly over the rice and broccoli.
  •  Heat olive oil in a sauce pan or small pot over medium-high heat, add chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook until onion is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile whisk cornstarch/arrowroot into the chicken broth, making sure the cornstarch is dissolved.
  • Once onion is cooked stir in the Italian seasoning then add the broth. Whisk in the remaining salt, mustard, and lemon juice then bring up to a simmer to thicken a bit. Once sauce is bubbling, pour evenly over the ingredients in the baking dish. Use a spoon to even out the top of the dish.
  • Cover the baking dish with foil then bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove foil then add cheese evenly over the top, if using. Return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese or use the broiler to get a golden, crunchy top. Serve warm.

Notes

*If you are using already cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces and add to casserole as normal. Since your chicken is already cooked, cook the casserole covered for 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 690mg | Potassium: 565mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 487IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep Tagged With: broccoli

Previous Post: « Baked Carrot Chocolate Oatmeal
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Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Brittney Kyser

    January 12, 2021 at 5:55 pm

    You had me at casserole! 😍

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 12, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      💚

      Reply
      • Mariett

        August 18, 2021 at 9:00 pm

        Any suggestions to make this work with shredded rotisserie chicken?

        Reply
        • Taesha Butler

          August 18, 2021 at 9:10 pm

          I’d cook the casserole for 15 minutes without the cooked chicken, take it out and add the chicken in, back in to finish cooking and let chicken warm up. Finally the cheese on top and back in to melt. Hope that helps!

          Reply
  2. Katie Smith

    January 12, 2021 at 6:28 pm

    Hi!! This looks absolutely amazing! Could you substitute cauliflower rice for of brown/white rice??

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 12, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Maybe! I haven’t tried it, but it would likely add a lot of liquid to the casserole so I would just be aware and probably suggest reducing the broth by a 1/2 cup. If you try it, let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  3. Andrea

    January 12, 2021 at 6:55 pm

    Silly question but are the boneless, skinless chicken breasts supposed to be cooked before cutting up and adding to this casserole? Or does this call for raw chicken breast?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 12, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Raw. The chicken cooks in the casserole

      Reply
  4. Trish

    January 13, 2021 at 10:30 pm

    5 stars
    Love this one, Taesha! I made it for dinner last night and it was so good that I immediately made another on for the freezer since I had everything in the house!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 13, 2021 at 10:31 pm

      I am so glad, Trish! My family loves it too and, I agree, it is perfect for the freezer!

      Reply
      • Sarah

        July 11, 2022 at 2:56 am

        What are the steps to make this for the freezer? Do I bake it first?

        Reply
        • Taesha Butler

          July 12, 2022 at 2:15 pm

          Yes, I would bake it and let it cool completely. You can then portion it out and freeze portions individually in freezer safe containers or cover the baking container in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil before freezing.

          Reply
  5. Missy

    January 15, 2021 at 4:33 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious!!!!!! So much flavor! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 15, 2021 at 9:29 pm

      Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed, Missy!

      Reply
  6. Karen

    January 20, 2021 at 2:05 am

    5 stars
    We are hereby dubbing this the Miracle Casserole in our house!
    My almost 2 year old son usually rejects chicken, broccoli, and rice, always. However, he gobbled down 3 bowls of this in one afternoon, asking for more and more and more!
    We were astounded, astonished, amazed, and so grateful!
    I didn’t even add much cheese and he’s eating everything he needs in one easy to prepare meal. The best!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 20, 2021 at 5:12 pm

      That is so amazing, Karen! I am so glad!

      Reply
  7. Megan

    March 23, 2021 at 1:11 pm

    This may seem like a silly question, but does the broccoli go in still frozen or should you hear it first?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      March 23, 2021 at 3:07 pm

      I put it in frozen

      Reply
  8. Brittany

    August 23, 2021 at 7:53 pm

    Can you use fresh broccoli for the casserole as well

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 24, 2021 at 12:19 am

      I haven’t tried but I’m confident it would probably work!

      Reply
  9. Brittany

    August 23, 2021 at 10:19 pm

    Can you use fresh broccoli

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 24, 2021 at 12:19 am

      I bet it would! I haven’t tested it, but I will have to use fresh next time! If you give it a go, report back, please!

      Reply
  10. Jackie

    January 8, 2022 at 2:10 pm

    My family hates the taste of mustard . Is this an essential part of the recipe? Can you taste it?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 8, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      You can taste it a bit, so if your family isn’t a fan…perhaps skip it. I find the mustard gives a little omph in the flavor, so maybe replace it with a little hot sauce (if your family likes that) or just leave it out!

      Reply
  11. Jody

    January 9, 2022 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    Turned out well and very good! We thought it was a little heavy on Italian seasoning, so next time I will do half the amount of that. Otherwise, we loved it!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 10, 2022 at 12:42 pm

      Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  12. Amanda

    February 6, 2022 at 12:53 am

    5 stars
    This was a great healthier comfort food option! It was so flavorful and creamy. Super easy to make and the whole family loved it.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      February 6, 2022 at 3:05 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed!!

      Reply
  13. Jackie

    January 19, 2023 at 12:44 pm

    Does the rice have to be cooked? It’s be nice to be able to dump it all in.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 19, 2023 at 3:25 pm

      I totally get wants a dump and go meal. Unfortunately, brown rice takes a lot more liquid and time to cook than the rest of the ingredients, so it does need to be cooked. You could use pre-cooked rice (I believer Trader Joes has some in the freezer section) to help streamline everything!

      Reply
      • Jackie

        January 19, 2023 at 3:40 pm

        Thank you for responding. It’s funny you mention TJ’s rice bc that’s exactly what I have. Would I follow recipe as is with precooked rice?

        Reply
        • Taesha Butler

          January 20, 2023 at 9:22 am

          Yes!

          Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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