We don’t really have a plethora of casserole recipes here on Our Best Bites. We have a few, and they’re really, really good (like this Chicken Noodle Casserole or this Burrito Pie or this  Tuna Casserole.) It’s not because we don’t like casseroles–we really like casseroles. But it’s hard to photograph them and have them still look appealing and they also often use condensed soups, which we use from time to time, but try to avoid when possible.
Well. This Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Casserole is so delicious that I don’t care what it looks like and it doesn’t have any condensed soups in it. It’s the perfect way to use up leftover chicken, leftover rice, and broccoli that’s on its way out. It’s something you definitely need in your recipe arsenal.
To get started, you’ll need some butter, about a cup of chopped onion, and a few cloves of minced garlic.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the onions are translucent. Round up 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.
Add the flour and stir until it starts coming together with the butter and the onions. Slowly add the chicken broth, a little at a time, whisking after each addition until any lumps of flour are smooth. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the salt and pepper and remove from heat. Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar
and stir until smooth. Add 4 cups of broccoli florets broken into bite-sized pieces.
While the sauce is cooking, spray a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine 3-4 cups cooked chicken (like rotisserie chicken. 4 was too much for our family, but if you want to go heavier on the meat, it will still taste amazing) and rice in the dish.
After you’ve added the broccoli to the sauce, add it to the rice/chicken mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the shredded parmesan and the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbly. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 large onion chopped (about 1 cup chopped onion)
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese divided (grate it off the block; don't use pre-grated cheese)
- 4 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
- 3 cups cooked brown rice or brown rice/quinoa mixture like Seeds of Change or Uncle Ben's
- 3 cups bite-sized cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken*
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add the flour and stir until it starts coming together with the butter and the onions.
- Slowly add the chicken broth, a little at a time, whisking after each addition until any lumps of flour are smooth. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar and stir until smooth. Add the broccoli.
- While the sauce is cooking, spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine the chicken and rice in the dish.
- After you've added the broccoli to the sauce, add it to the rice/chicken mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the shredded parmesan and the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
