This tacky rooster and broccoli casserole recipe is a simple household meal with chunks of rooster, rice, tender-crisp broccoli, and creamy sauce baked beneath a buttery cracker topping. It’s whole consolation meals!
I’ll discover any excuse to place broccoli and cheese in the identical recipe, whether or not it’s broccoli cheddar soup or broccoli cheese casserole. This rooster and broccoli casserole is creamy like chicken divan, with tender rooster blended with broccoli and rice in a wealthy, creamy gravy with rice and loads of cheese. It’s just about the right consolation meals, full with a buttery Ritz cracker prime.
Why I Love This Hen and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
A lot of taste. With its creamy rooster, rice, broccoli, and melty cheese, that is precisely the type of home-style casserole my grandmother would make. It’s tremendous hearty and satisfying.
Straightforward consolation meals. This broccoli rooster casserole is straightforward to prep on any evening of the week. You’ll be able to even take a shortcut with rotisserie rooster from the shop.
Make forward. Assemble the casserole forward and retailer it baked or unbaked for later! It additionally freezes properly.
Casserole Components
Nothing does “meal-in-one” higher than a tacky and veggie-filled rooster and broccoli casserole. Beneath are my notes on what you’ll must make it. Scroll right down to the recipe card after the submit for the printable substances record with the complete quantities.
Hen – I like to recommend boneless, skinless rooster breasts or thighs, lower into bite-sized items. You’ll want salt and pepper, or your alternative of rooster seasoning.
Olive Oil – Or one other oil, for sautéeing.
Onion and Garlic – Diced yellow or white onion, and freshly minced garlic. You’ll be able to substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per contemporary clove if it’s essential.
Rice – Cook dinner the rice utilizing your most popular technique. I like to recommend long-grain white rice, not prompt rice, for this casserole. You possibly can additionally substitute the rice with one other cooked grain, like quinoa.
Broccoli – Chopped into florets. Frozen broccoli is nice, too, simply be certain to thaw and drain it first (observe that the feel might be softer than if you happen to use contemporary).
Cheese – Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, gouda, Swiss or Pepper Jack (for some spice) all work properly on this recipe. Use freshly shredded cheese because it melts extra easily.
Cream of Hen Soup – You can too use condensed cream of broccoli.
Milk – This may be entire milk, 2% milk, or any variety you’d like.
Bitter Cream – In a pinch, you may substitute the bitter cream with full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Spices – I season the sauce with paprika and dry mustard. Be at liberty so as to add any seasonings you’d like, comparable to cayenne pepper, chili powder, pink pepper flakes, or a mix, like Italian herbs or Cajun seasoning.
Ritz Crackers – Crushed into crumbs and blended with melted butter for the topping.
Tips on how to Make Broccoli Hen Casserole
Right here’s a fast overview exhibiting the right way to make this simple, tacky rooster and broccoli casserole. You’ll discover the printable recipe directions within the recipe card after the submit.
Cook dinner the rooster and onions.Mix the substances.
Cook dinner the rooster and onions. Season the rooster with salt and pepper, then add it to a scorching pan with oil. Cook dinner the rooster over medium warmth for five minutes. Then, add the onions, and sauté for an additional 5-7 minutes till the rooster is cooked via. Stir within the garlic.
Mix the substances. Subsequent, add the rooster and onions to a bowl with the rice, broccoli, and ½ cup of shredded cheese.
Combine and add the sauce.Toss to coat.
Make the sauce. In the meantime, combine the cream of rooster soup, milk, bitter cream, and seasonings. Pour the sauce over the rooster and broccoli combination and stir the whole lot collectively.
Assemble the casserole.Add the topping and bake!
Assemble the casserole. Unfold the filling into the underside of a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Mix the crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter and scatter that over prime.
Bake. Lastly, bake the rooster and broccoli casserole at 350ºF for half-hour till the highest is toasted and the perimeters are bubbly.
Make It Forward
You’ll be able to put together this rooster and broccoli casserole the day earlier than and maintain it lined within the fridge till you’re able to bake (I’ll usually do that after we’re anticipating folks over!). Assemble the casserole in a baking dish as directed, however go away off the Ritz cracker topping. Then, cowl and refrigerate it for as much as 24 hours.
While you’re prepared, sprinkle on the topping and bake! If the casserole is chilly from the fridge, chances are you’ll want so as to add 10-Quarter-hour to the baking time.
Recipe Ideas
Save time with a rotisserie rooster. On this case, you may skip cooking the rooster and go straight to sautéeing the onions. Mix the chopped or shredded rooster with the opposite substances and blend the whole lot with the sauce as directed.
Should you choose softer broccoli, steam the contemporary florets earlier than you add them to the casserole.
Should you don’t have Ritz crackers, you may crush up one other type of cracker, or substitute breadcrumbs or potato chips.
Serving Strategies
Serve this rooster and broccoli casserole with a inexperienced salad on the aspect, or extra greens, like roasted carrots or asparagus. Fluffy dinner rolls or biscuits are a should when it comes time to sop up the leftover sauce!
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerate. Cowl and retailer the leftover broccoli rooster casserole within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Reheat. You’ll be able to reheat the casserole within the oven, or particular person servings within the microwave till scorching all through.
Freeze. Wrap this casserole in a double layer of plastic wrap or foil and freeze it for as much as 2 months. Thaw the casserole within the fridge earlier than reheating.
This tacky rooster and broccoli casserole recipe has juicy chunks of rooster, rice, broccoli, and creamy sauce baked beneath a buttery cracker topping.
1 head broccoli, lower into florets (about 3 cups)
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 10.5-ounce can cream of rooster soup
1/2 Cup milk
1/4 Cup bitter cream
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1 Cup Ritz cracker crumbs (about 25 crackers)
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and put aside.
Sprinkle the lower items of rooster with salt and pepper.
Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, add the rooster to the pan. Cook dinner for five minutes.
Add the diced onion to the skillet with the rooster and proceed to cook dinner, stirring often, till the rooster is cooked via, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and proceed to cook dinner whereas stirring for yet one more minute, then take away from warmth.
Mix the cooked rooster, cooked rice, broccoli florets and ½ cup of cheese in a big bowl.
In a separate smaller bowl, combine collectively the cream of rooster soup, milk, bitter cream, paprika and dry mustard. Pour the cream combination over the rooster and rice and stir it properly to mix.
Unfold the rooster rice combination into your ready baking dish. High with remaining shredded cheese.
Mix the cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake within the preheated oven for half-hour or till the crumbs are golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Notes
You should utilize rotisserie rooster to save lots of time. Simply skip forward to sauteeing the onions within the olive oil.
This casserole has crisp broccoli, if you happen to choose comfortable broccoli, steam it earlier than including it to the casserole.
You should utilize frozen broccoli instead of contemporary, simply be certain to thaw it first and drain off any liquid.
