Broccoli Casserole has become one of my go to weeknight recipes now that I’ve figured out how I can have it ready in 30 minutes or less.
My version of broccoli casserole is slightly different then the traditional recipes, I cut back on the amount of mayonnaise and use cream of chicken instead of cream of mushroom soup in the cream sauce.
The whole family loves the comforting combination of rice, chicken, broccoli, cheese and the creamy sauce. It’s delicious and a fantastic and easy weeknight dinner.
Having pre-cooked shredded or chopped chicken in your freezer is what makes it possible to have this meal ready in thirty minutes. If you don’t have precooked chicken in the freezer, you can try canned chicken or take 20 minutes and boil some really quick.
I cook my rice in my rice cooker which takes twenty minutes. Some rice cookers are not that fast, but you can also cook it on the stove in approximately 20 minutes. If you prefer and want the rice done super fast you can use minute rice.
For the broccoli I cook it in my steam basket while the rice is cooking. It takes about 15 minutes. Another option, if you want to be really fast and not have as many dishes, is to buy the steamer microwave bags of frozen broccoli.
The trick is having the rice and broccoli cooking while you mix up the sauce. That way once everything is done all you have to do is quickly put each layer in a 9×13 pan sprinkle with cheese and heat in the oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
Because this meal is so quick and I can keep the ingredients on hand in my pantry and freezer it is one of my go to meals for taking to people who are sick, injured or just had a baby. It can also easily be adapted to gluten free by making your own chicken sauce instead of using canned soup.
More easy casseroles
- 6-8 cups cooked white rice
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded
- 2 lbs frozen or fresh broccoli, steamed or boiled until tender (make sure to salt it)
- 1 small can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken broth, I just use 1 cup water and 1 tsp chicken bullion
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- ½ tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1½ cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Like I mentioned in the post, you can cook the rice and broccoli while you preparing the sauce so this recipe can be done and on the table in thirty minutes.
- For the Sauce: Stir broth, can of cream of chicken, mayonnaise, sour cream or greek yogurt, shredded chicken, lemon juice and curry powder and salt and pepper to taste, in a sauce pan. Heat and stir until well combined and heated through.* See Summary section to see how to make without canned soup
- Use cooking spray to lightly grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
- Spread cooked rice evenly on bottom of the pan
- Spread the chicken cream sauce evenly over the rice,
- Cover the sauce with the cooked broccoli and then sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the broccoli.
- Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and serve.
Skillet dinners you'll love
*This recipe is slightly adapted from a recipe I got from my sister. I reduced the amount of mayonnaise and added sour cream. I also reduced the amount of curry powder and added extra broccoli.
I just happen to have leftover rice and cooked chicken in my fridge right now. Boo Yah!! This has been a favorite in our family for years…minus the curry powder. It’s one of the few things I can’t stand food-wise.
Bwahaha Kim, I totally thought of you and your curry hate while I was writing this post.
This looks so good! I think my kids would love this. Pinning for later, thanks!!
This is one of my husband’s favorite kinds of casserole! I’ll have to try this recipe though, it looks a little different than some that I’ve made before!
This looks delicious! My kids will love it! Thanks!
I love how you added options for every step of this recipe! No excuse not to make it right now!
Thanks Janet 🙂 Hope you like it!
Why did you cut back on curry & increase the broccoli? Was the curry flavor too much, and the broccoli too little?? Just wondering cause I love curry but don’t want to overdo it either!!
Hi Dorothy, My family likes just a hint of curry in this dish. If you like curry, you should double the amount. I also added more broccoli because I like broccoli and love that my kids eat it better when presented in a casserole like this, that they love. 🙂
Is there any nutritional information for this recipe?
Hi Beth, unfortunately I do not have nutritional information on my recipes.
Can I skip the heated sauce and just pour over the rice and then bake it longer?
Yes, definitely!
Can I use brown rice, instead of white rice?? Thanks!
As long as it is cooked first it should be fine. 🙂