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 proper consolation meals, full with a buttery Ritz cracker high.
Why I Love This Rooster and Broccoli Casserole Recipe
Plenty of taste. With its creamy rooster, rice, broccoli, and melty cheese, that is precisely the form of home-style casserole my grandmother would make. It’s tremendous hearty and satisfying.
Simple consolation meals. This broccoli rooster casserole is simple to prep on any night time of the week. You may 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 effectively.
Casserole Components
Nothing does “meal-in-one” higher than a tacky and veggie-filled rooster and broccoli casserole. Under are my notes on what you’ll must make it. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card after the put up for the printable elements record with the total quantities.
Rooster – I like to recommend boneless, skinless rooster breasts or thighs, minimize 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 may substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per recent clove if you should.
Rice – Cook dinner the rice utilizing your most well-liked methodology. I like to recommend long-grain white rice, not instantaneous 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 sure to thaw and drain it first (notice that the feel will probably be softer than for those who use recent).
Cheese – Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, gouda, Swiss or Pepper Jack (for some spice) all work effectively on this recipe. Use freshly shredded cheese because it melts extra easily.
Cream of Rooster 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’ll be able to substitute the bitter cream with full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Spices – I season the sauce with paprika and dry mustard. Be happy so as to add any seasonings you’d like, akin to cayenne pepper, chili powder, purple pepper flakes, or a mix, like Italian herbs or Cajun seasoning.
Ritz Crackers – Crushed into crumbs and blended with melted butter for the topping.
Easy methods to Make Broccoli Rooster Casserole
Right here’s a fast overview exhibiting methods to make this simple, tacky rooster and broccoli casserole. You’ll discover the printable recipe directions within the recipe card after the put up.
Cook dinner the rooster and onions.Mix the elements.
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 one more 5-7 minutes till the rooster is cooked by means of. Stir within the garlic.
Mix the elements. 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 every little thing 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 high.
Bake. Lastly, bake the rooster and broccoli casserole at 350ºF for half-hour till the highest is toasted and the sides are bubbly.
Make It Forward
You may 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 typically do that once we’re anticipating individuals 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.
If you’re prepared, sprinkle on the topping and bake! If the casserole is chilly from the fridge, you could want so as to add 10-Quarter-hour to the baking time.
Recipe Ideas
Save time with a rotisserie rooster. On this case, you’ll be able to skip cooking the rooster and go straight to sautéeing the onions. Mix the chopped or shredded rooster with the opposite elements and blend every little thing with the sauce as directed.
For those who want softer broccoli, steam the recent florets earlier than you add them to the casserole.
For those who don’t have Ritz crackers, you’ll be able to crush up one other form of cracker, or substitute breadcrumbs or potato chips.
Serving Ideas
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 may 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, minimize 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 minimize 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 prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till the rooster is cooked by means of, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and proceed to prepare dinner whereas stirring for another 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 effectively 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, for those who want smooth broccoli, steam it earlier than including it to the casserole.
You should utilize frozen broccoli instead of recent, simply be sure to thaw it first and drain off any liquid.
