Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Casserole
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A creamy broccoli chicken bake loaded with rice and three types of cheese soup. Cheddar, broccoli cheese, and cream of chicken soups create layers of savory richness that meld with tender chicken and crisp-topped crumbs. Best served slightly cooled so flavors settle. Adapted from traditional casseroles with tweaks on timing and ingredients for deeper flavor and perfect texture.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
65 min
Total:
90 min
Servings:
8 servings
#American Comfort
#Casserole
#Chicken
#Broccoli
#Cheese
#Baked Dish
Chunky chicken chunks swimming in creamy cheesy soup pools with broccoli flecks and fluffy rice. A casserole that wears its guts on its sleeve. Not fussy. Raw rice in casserole helps soak the soup juices, turning dry grains into tender bites packed with flavor from soup trifecta. Remember, the foil creates steam so rice cooks evenly; remove foil to brown crust and thicken sauce. Tried it twice before – no foil kills rice softness, no crunch topping is sad. Use thighs for more juice, breasts dry fast. Three soups feels like overkill but melts into magic. The broiler isn’t your friend here; slow crisp bakes better without charred crumbs. Let it cool or burns your soul, literally.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped broccoli fresh or frozen
- 2 cups uncooked white or brown rice
- 1 can 10.5 oz condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 can 10.5 oz condensed broccoli cheddar cheese soup substitute with sharp gouda cheddar soup for twist
- 1 can 10.5 oz condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth or water low sodium preferred
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken thighs or breasts
- 1/2 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper fresh ground recommended
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups crushed buttery crackers Ritz works well
About the ingredients
Fresh broccoli works best if you want vibrant green but frozen is fine—thaw and drain to avoid soggy mess. Sub brown rice for slightly nuttier flavor but increase liquid ratio slightly – brown rice sucks more broth. Soup choice is key. Broccoli cheddar soup swap a gouda cheddar or even a smoked cheddar gives more complex depth. Chicken broth adds more umami than water but water works in a pinch. Salt carefully—soups can be salty. Butter coats cracker crumbs to brown evenly; unsalted butter lets you control salt better. Use crushed buttery crackers or panko; salt crackers offset saltiness to an extent. Got no cracker crumbs? Toasted breadcrumbs work or crushed potato chips for salty crunch. Cooked shredded chicken stores well leftover but raw shredded will dry out in oven.
Method
- Heat oven to 410°F. Spray 9x13 casserole with cooking spray to avoid sticking and easy cleanup.
- In a big bowl mix broccoli, rice, soups, and broth until combined but chunky soups stay somewhat distinct. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in chicken last, gently. Pour mix into dish. Looks lumpy, don’t panic.
- Melt butter, stir in cracker crumbs until evenly coated. This topping will brown and crackle, adding needed crunch.
- Cover casserole tightly with foil. Bake for about 35 minutes. You want to hear bubbling juices at edges. Steam builds under foil, cooking rice.
- Remove foil carefully – hot steam! Give topping crumbs a light pat if melted too much. Bake uncovered another 30-35 minutes. Edges bubble and top crisps golden brown. Rice should be tender but firm when stabbed with fork. Chicken no longer pink.
- Let rest at least 10 minutes. Thickens up. Flavors marry. Serve warm.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven hotter than usual (410°F) to jumpstart rice cooking under foil steam trap—don’t rush uncovering too soon or get gritty rice. Mixing soups with rice and broccoli creates chunks you need to break up a little but don’t mash. Stir chicken in last to keep texture and moisture. Butter crumb mix—it’s the finish line for textures; dry crumbs lead to cardboard topping. Cover tightly with foil wrapping edges under dish for seal; loosely covered leads to dry tops and undercooked rice. Listen for bubbling and watch edges for steam vents —signs rice soaking soup. Uncover carefully, watch steam blasts. Bake uncovered—no peeking early. Crust deepens golden brown and crackers crackle with heat. Cool before serve; hot bake gooey like lava, needs chill to set flavors and consistency. If rice isn’t tender after timing? Cover and add 5-10 minute bursts—patience helps avoid scorched bottom.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use fresh broccoli for vibrant color. Frozen works but thaw and drain fully to avoid soggy layers; excess water kills texture. Brown rice adds nuttiness but soak or increase broth by 10-15%. Soup trifecta gives depth, swap broccoli cheddar with smoked gouda cheddar for smoky warmth. Salt cautiously—soups bring salt already; better to undersalt at mix stage and fix after baking if needed.
- 💡 Oven temp at 410F jumpstarts rice cooking with foil trap. Foil must seal edges tightly; loose foil dries top faster, undercooks rice. Listen for low bubbling at edges around 35 minutes, that’s steam and rice absorbing soup. Don’t peek too soon or rice gets gritty. Foil steam is key—no foil, dry crunchy bits emerge, rice stays hard under.
- 💡 Topping needs butter coating or it turns cardboard dry. Melt butter fully, mix even coverage on cracker crumbs or panko, no dry chunks. Spread gently, not compacted. After initial bake with foil, uncover to brown topping. Watch golden brown edges and audible crackle for doneness. If topping goes soggy under foil, pat crumbs loose gently before second bake.
- 💡 Chicken choice impacts moisture. Thighs keep juicy, breasts dry faster so check pinkness after baking. Shred cooked chicken before mixing; raw shredded dries out oven. Mixing soups chunky not pureed helps texture; fold chicken last gently to avoid breaking up. If rice seems underdone post bake, cover and heat in 5-10 minute increments monitoring moisture and steam.
- 💡 Rest casserole minimum 10 minutes post oven. Thickens sauce, lets flavors marry in. Serve warm but not hot lava gooey, or burns mouth and flavors scatter unnaturally. Topping keeps crisp after rest but cool slightly or edges soften from steam. Use butter crackers for topping salt balance; can swap toasted breadcrumbs, panko or crushed potato chips for crunch variation.
Common questions
Can I use frozen broccoli whole?
Freeze broccoli chunks fine but thaw fully and drain well first. Water ruins crispiness, makes casserole watery. Chop if big so bites cook evenly. Frozen broccoli can get softer inside but useful for speed.
What if my rice is hard after bake?
Cover and bake extra in 5-10 mins bursts; add splash broth if dry. Don’t rush uncovering foil early—steam under foil softens rice. Brown rice needs longer or more broth. Oven hot enough 410F crucial to activate rice starch soaking.
How to adjust saltiness?
Soups all salty, best to salt little at start. Taste mid-dish if possible. Use unsalted butter on topping to control salt. If too salty, add splash water or broth next bake; cream or cheese can mellow. Cracker choice affects salt too—use low salt if worried.
Leftovers storage and reheating tips?
Cover and fridge up to 4 days. Reheat covered 350F 15-20 mins slow or microwave with damp paper towel cover to keep moistness. For longer storage freeze in airtight container but topping loses crisp, add fresh crumbs before reheating.
