Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

servings: 8 to 12

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons Cabot Salted Butter
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1¼ cups white long grain rice, uncooked
2 cups fresh broccoli florets, uncooked
1 can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
½ cup milk
½ cup Cabot Sour Cream
8 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Yellow Cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons Cabot Salted Butter, melted

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
CUT chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with Italian seasoning and desired amount of salt and pepper. (If using rotisserie cooked chicken skip steps 1 and 2 and just cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.)
HEAT butter in a large pot over medium heat until melted. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
ADD the chicken broth, olive oil, and rice to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook for 7 minutes.
ADD the fresh broccoli and replace the cover. Cook for 8 more minutes. Do not stir!
TURN off the heat and leave the cover on. Let the rice stand for 10 minutes, do not stir. Any rice on the bottom of the pot will release.
ADD the cooked chicken, canned soup, milk, sour cream, optional seasonings, and half of the cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.
PLACE mixture in prepared casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
BAKE for 30 minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Tags:Recipe, Casseroles, Chicken, Comfort Food, Christmas, Fall, Entrees, Winter

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Recipe Note

Note: To freeze this casserole, cover the pan with foil and freeze. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight or cook straight from the freezer. Plan a full extra hour to bake if cooking from frozen and not pre-baked. Make sure to include the directions on top of the foil so you will be ready when it’s time to cook.

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
CUT chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with Italian seasoning and desired amount of salt and pepper. (If using rotisserie cooked chicken skip steps 1 and 2 and just cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.)
HEAT butter in a large pot over medium heat until melted. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
ADD the chicken broth, olive oil, and rice to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook for 7 minutes.
ADD the fresh broccoli and replace the cover. Cook for 8 more minutes. Do not stir!
TURN off the heat and leave the cover on. Let the rice stand for 10 minutes, do not stir. Any rice on the bottom of the pot will release.
ADD the cooked chicken, canned soup, milk, sour cream, optional seasonings, and half of the cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.
PLACE mixture in prepared casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
BAKE for 30 minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes prior to serving.