Description
A creamy, cheesy, and hearty one-pot Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole featuring tender chicken, fluffy rice, and perfectly cooked broccoli all baked together under a golden cheddar topping. The ultimate cozy, family-friendly comfort meal.
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 tbsp salted butter
1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice
1/2 cup dry orzo pasta (use gluten-free if needed)
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for topping
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup whole milk or canned coconut milk
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a large oven-safe pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in cubed chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2–3 minutes until lightly seared.
- Add butter, rice, orzo, and thyme; cook for 2–3 minutes to lightly toast.
- Pour in chicken broth, then add broccoli, bay leaves, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and more salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until rice is tender.
- Remove bay leaves, then stir in lemon zest, milk, and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and transfer the pot to the oven (or use a casserole dish if your pot isn’t oven-safe).
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and top with fresh thyme before serving warm.
Notes
Use cooked or rotisserie chicken for a faster prep.
Substitute brown rice but increase liquid and cooking time.
For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with mushrooms or extra broccoli.
Make it dairy-free by using coconut milk and dairy-free cheese.
Freeze unbaked casserole for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes to cook time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Casserole, Comfort Food
- Method: One-Pot & Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
