Easy Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe
This chicken and broccoli casserole is so cheesy, creamy, warm, and cozy, and is seriously one of my all-time favorite meals to make in the winter. Plus, it tastes even better the next day – that is, if you have any leftovers!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 7-ounce box long grain and wild rice see note
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 cups broccoli florets see note
- 4 cups cooked diced chicken see note
- 2 cups corn flakes
homemade cream of chicken soup
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in garlic and onions for one minute.
- Stir in rice, then add 1 cup chicken broth and the water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to high simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes til rice is fully cooked. Meanwhile, prepare the cream of chicken soup and corn flake topping.
Prepare the corn flake topping
- Toss corn flakes with 2 tablespoons melted butter and set aside.
Prepare the cream of chicken soup
- In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in flour, then whisk in chicken broth and milk.
- Stir in salt, pepper, and garlic powder and bring sauce to a boil, stirring til thickened. Remove from heat.
Bake the casserole
- Combine rice mixture, chicken, cheese, broccoli, and cream of chicken soup and stir well. Spread evenly in prepared dish.
- Sprinkle buttered corn flakes evenly over the top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes until corn flakes begin to brown. Garnish with chopped parsley and cracked black pepper if desired and serve.
Video
Notes
The rice: I use Zatarain's Long Grain and Wild Rice.
The broccoli: For fresh broccoli, add broccoli florets and 1/2 cup water to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until nearly fork-tender. Drain excess water before adding to casserole. For frozen broccoli, steam in the bag in the microwave as directed on the package. Drain excess water before adding to casserole.
The chicken: you can use rotisserie chicken, or slow cooker or Instant Pot shredded chicken, or diced chicken. I love using Tyson grilled and chopped chicken pieces for soups like this to reduce prep time.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 853IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 252mg | Iron: 4mg
