This chicken and rice casserole is a classic family favorite recipe. This version is made without the typical canned soup and instead uses a quick and easy homemade cream of chicken sauce. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner in only 45 minutes!
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Chicken, rice, and broccoli casserole is a comfort food classic that is usually made using Campbell's cream of chicken soup. My homemade chicken casserole recipe ditches the canned soup for a flavorful homemade cream of chicken sauce that only takes about 10 minutes to make and is SO much better than the canned stuff.
This easy chicken and rice casserole is creamy and cheesy and topped it's off with a crunchy topping for a perfect combination of textures. With a mixture of rice, broccoli, and chicken, it's a complete meal the whole family will love, all in just 45 minutes!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Homemade Sauce - The flavorful homemade cream of chicken sauce is rich and flavorful and easy to make in minutes.
- Family Favorite - The cozy combination of chicken, broccoli, and rice with a creamy sauce is a comfort food classic and is always a family favorite.
- Easy Weeknight Dinner - This homemade chicken and rice casserole is a complete meal that's ready in just 45 minutes so it's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli - I often use frozen broccoli for convenience, but you can also steam fresh broccoli until tender. You can also swap in other veggies like peas and carrots if you prefer.
- Rice - This recipe calls for pre-cooked long-grain white rice. You can use leftover rice or store-bought minute rice.
- Cheddar Cheese - for the best results I recommend grating your own cheese in this casserole.
- Ritz Cracker Topping - I love the buttery crunch of Ritz crackers for the topping, but you can substitute panko bread crumbs, cornflakes, or just more cheese for the topping if you prefer.
What Chicken to Use?
Just about any cooked chicken will work, and to make it even easier, you can use rotisserie chicken. When I don't have cooked chicken for this casserole, I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them thin. Season with salt and pepper, then saute for 5-6 minutes per side until they are cooked through. This can be done while you make the sauce, so it doesn't add too much extra time.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed instructions.
- Make the Sauce - The homemade cream of chicken sauce comes together in just a few minutes. You'll saute the onion, then make a roux of flour and butter. Stir in the liquids and seasonings and cook until thickened.
- Combine the Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice - Next, you'll add in the chicken, rice, broccoli, and cheese and stir them together with the sauce to combine.
- Assemble - add the mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish and top with crumbled crackers.
- Cook and Serve - Bake uncovered at 350 °F for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes, then serve.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through or in the microwave.
This old-fashioned chicken and rice casserole freezes really well, too, so I always make a double batch and freeze half. Freeze the unbaked casserole, without the cracker topping, for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking then add the topping and bake as directed. You may need an extra 10 minutes or so of baking time.
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole (without soup)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked chicken
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1½ cups chicken stock, low sodium preferred
- 2 teaspoons chicken bullion powder, or 1 cube
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 12-16 Ritz crackers, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan then add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Then add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.
- While the onion cooks, steam the broccoli until tender.
- Slowly pour in the stock and milk while whisking constantly and continue whisking for about a minute. Then stir in the chicken bullion, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and add the cooked chicken, rice, and broccoli and cheese then stir to combine. Transfer the casserole mixture to an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish then top with the crushed crackers.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and lightly browned on top. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
LoveToCook says
We LOVED it! I followed the directions exactly, using frozen broccoli. I didn't have the Ritz crackers but it was good using other butter crackers instead. I'm making it again tonight, adding mushrooms for a change. it will be perfect with this cold freezing weather out there!
Laura says
I confess I was a bit skeptical while making this but from the fist bite, it was delicious! This is going on to my regular rotation. It would make a great comfort dish for someone who needs it as well.
Connie says
Delicious! I hate using cream soups so I searched for a recipe without. I didn’t have broccoli so I sautéed chopped carrots with the onions. Crushed croutons in lieu of crackers, too. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe!
Ciel Murri says
Thank you for NOT using cream of anything canned soup!
I added sliced mushrooms and peas to the mix also. YUM!
DW says
Loved the recipe. Loved that it was real whole foods. Added extra broccoli and green peppers and left off the ritz! I do need to read better, missed that it called for COOKED rice. Added extra water and cooked for an hour and it was still good. Will make it correct next time and use brown rice. I know it will be amazing! Thanks for a quick from scratch recipe. ❤️
neon1206 says
This was great comfort food! I didn't do the Ritz cracker topping.