LEARN THE 1-INGREDIENT UPGRADE THAT MAKES MY CHICKEN & BROCCOLI CASSEROLE BETTER THAN YOUR MOM'S

Chicken and broccoli casserole is a meal that most people at Team Delish grew up eating, and this recipe is guaranteed to make you feel like a kid again. This creamy, cheesy, Ritz cracker-topped casserole is packed with chicken, rice, and freshly blanched broccoli with the quintessential cream of mushroom soup. This is my ideal Sunday dinner, and it's perfect for when you have a few extra mouths to feed.

How To Make Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• Butter: Use unsalted butter instead of salted, as you don't want the dish to be overly salty and you can control the seasonings.
• Chicken Breast: This casserole is a great way to use up those chicken breasts you have hanging out in the fridge. That being said, you can also use rotisserie chicken. You’ll need a little over a pound of shredded chicken if that's what you choose.
• All-Purpose Seasoning Salt: Even when cooked properly, all of these flavors can read a little bit bland, so for some added kick, I season the chicken with my favorite seasoning salt blend. Lawry’s is a classic, but you can also use your favorite brand.
• Yellow Onion & Garlic: The base to most of our dishes, an onion and garlic will create flavor from the very start.
• Long-Grain White Rice: I highly recommend using white rice instead of swapping it out for another type of rice like brown rice. It will take longer to cook and influence the final texture.
• Chicken Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt amounts.
• Cream Of Mushroom Soup: Cream of mushroom soup is an absolute must for chicken and broccoli casserole. Not only is it easy to find in every grocery store, but it’s also extremely affordable and adds instant creaminess to the dish.
• Broccoli: I'm using fresh broccoli here, but you can use frozen if you prefer! Just thaw it in the microwave and add it to the casserole in step 7.
• Cheddar: For the best possible flavor and texture, I always recommend freshly shredding your cheese when possible.
• Ritz Crackers: Buttery Ritz crackers bring a layer of crunch and buttery flavor to the top of the casserole, providing a much-needed textural contrast. Of course, you don’t have to use Ritz, you can grab your favorite brand of buttery crackers.
• Garlic Powder: Adding a dash of garlic powder to the topping ensures you get a hint of garlic flavor in each bite.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375° and grease a 13" x 9" pan with butter. Slice the chicken breast into cutlets: This is done the same way you would butterfly a chicken breast, but instead of leaving the two halves connected, finish cutting until the two halves are separated. Season all over with seasoning salt. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in some oil and swirl to coat the pan. Cook the chicken for about 7 minutes per side or until light golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in the same pan. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, which should take about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the rice and stir to evenly combine. Lightly toast the rice, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the soup until smooth and combined.

Transfer everything to the prepared pan. Cover the pan with foil and bake, uncovering and stirring halfway through, until the rice is fully cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place ice cubes in a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the broccoli to the ice water to stop cooking. Remove the broccoli from the ice water and season with 1/2 tsp. salt.

Use two forks or your hands to shred chicken into bite-sized pieces.

In a medium bowl, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. in the microwave. Add 1/2 cup cheese, crackers, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss with a fork to combine.

Uncover the pan and stir in the shredded chicken, broccoli, and remaining 1 cup cheese.

Top with the cracker topping and bake for another 15 minutes, or until broccoli is tender and topping is slightly browned. Let cool slightly to set before serving.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What kind of seasoning salt should I use? Seasoning salt can vary greatly depending on the brand, so use one you’re already familiar with. I developed this recipe using Lawry’s seasoning salt (because I know it like the back of my hand), but if you use another brand, start with 2 tsp., then add more to the finished product if needed.
• Can I use brown rice instead of white rice? Brown rice takes significantly longer to cook than white rice. We didn't test this with brown rice, but you are welcome to give it a go, keeping in mind that you will need to cook the rice longer in step 3, adding more liquid as you go.

Casserole Variations

• Ritz Cracker Casserole
• Broccoli Cheese Casserole
• Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap in individual portions and freeze up to 3 months.

Yields: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp.

  unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing

• 4

  (6-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 tbsp.

  all-purpose seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s or Adobo)

• 2 tbsp.

  neutral oil

• 1

  large yellow onion, finely chopped

• Kosher salt

• 4

  garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 c.

  long-grain white rice, rinsed

• 3 1/2 c.

  low-sodium chicken broth

• 2

  (10-oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

• 2

  heads of broccoli, cut into florets

• 1 1/2 c.

  crushed Ritz crackers

• 1/4 tsp.

  garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp.

  freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 c.

  shredded cheddar, divided

Directions

1. Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter.
2. Slice chicken lengthwise into thin cutlets; season all over with seasoning salt. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil; swirl to coat pan. Working in batches if needed, add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until light golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board.
3. In same skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add onion; season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add rice and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and scrape any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Stir in soup. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover dish with foil.
4. Bake rice mixture, stirring halfway through, until rice is almost completely cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Start checking for doneness at around 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place ice cubes in a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Cook broccoli in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until bright green and slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer broccoli to ice water to stop cooking. Transfer broccoli to a plate; season with 1/2 tsp. salt.
6. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces.
7. In a medium heatproof bowl, microwave remaining 2 Tbsp. butter until melted, about 30 seconds. Add crackers, garlic powder, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese and toss with a fork to combine.
8. Uncover dish and stir in chicken, broccoli, and remaining 1 cup cheese. Top with cracker topping.
9. Continue to bake casserole, uncovered, until broccoli is tender and topping is slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool slightly.

Made This?

Let me know how it went in the comments below!

2025-04-18T15:15:12Z