Chicken and Rice Casserole

By Becky Hardin

Updated Aug 19, 2026

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This Chicken Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole is one of my favorite comfort food recipes. Loaded with everything that makes me think of home, I’m always surprised at how easy it is to pull together. I cook long-grain rice with broccoli in chicken stock and add cream and cheese so it’s rich and creamy, and then I toss in cooked chicken, transfer it all to a casserole dish, top it all with a buttery, cheesy Ritz cracker topping, and bake until it’s bubbling and piping hot.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

When I need a comforting, easy, cheesy meal for my family during the week, this chicken and rice casserole is my go-to. It’s simple enough to throw together, great for making ahead and freezing, or reheating for lunch throughout the week.

Long-grain rice and broccoli are cooked in chicken stock, and if I happen to have a rotisserie chicken on hand, I’ll throw that in too, or I’ll cook a few chicken breasts from scratch. Then I add half and half, loads of cheese, and bake it with the crispy, buttery Ritz cracker topping. What I end up with is a cheesy, gooey casserole loaded with tender chicken chunks and crispy broccoli with a hint of crunch from the crackers. Believe me, this is a hearty and comforting casserole, perfect for cold days. It’s also a great potluck dish that disappears in minutes!

Tips for Beginners

• Watch the broccoli and rice. You want to make sure the broccoli doesn’t get overcooked. If you find the rice still needs time but the broccoli is soft, remove the broccoli from the pot and let the rice continue cooking.
• Use a food processor. I like to use a food processor to finely crush the Ritz crackers, because it’s fast and easy. You can also put them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin if you prefer.
• Don’t overbake. The ingredients in the casserole are already cooked, so the baking is just to warm it all through and melt the cheese. If it bakes too long, it may dry out.
• Let the casserole rest for a few minutes. When you take the dish out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes so the creamy mixture can settle, which will make portioning easier.

Recipe Card

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Difficulty: Easy

4.75 from 32 votes

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Author: Becky Hardin

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This Chicken and Rice Casserole is loaded with broccoli and cheese for the ultimate comfort food recipe.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Topping

• ▢ 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed
• ▢ ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• ▢ ¼ tsp smoked paprika

For the Casserole

• ▢ 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• ▢ 2 cups long-grain white rice
• ▢ 1 bag frozen broccoli
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp ground sweet curry or mild curry
• ▢ 1 rotisserie chicken or 3 medium-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 4 tbsp canola or olive oil divided
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ ½-1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1¼ cup half and half
• ▢ 2 cups cheddar or Gruyere cheese shredded, or a blend of both

Video

Instructions 

For the Topping

• In a small bowl, combine crushed crackers, Parmesan, butter, and paprika. Set aside.
  1 sleeve Ritz crackers, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, ¼ tsp smoked paprika

For the Casserole

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Bring chicken stock to a boil and add the rice, broccoli, salt, black pepper, and sweet curry. Stir once, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 18-20 minutes or until rice and broccoli are tender.
  4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock, 2 cups long-grain white rice, 1 bag frozen broccoli, 1 tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp ground sweet curry
• If using rotisserie chicken, cut the chicken into ½ inch cubes or shred the chicken (your preference).
  1 rotisserie chicken
• If using chicken breasts, sprinkle breasts with salt & pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan, and heat until the oil shimmers. Place the breasts in the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side (depending on the size of the breasts). Turn off heat and transfer breasts to a paper towel-lined plate to rest. The chicken will continue to cook a bit and will finish cooking while in the oven. Tent the chicken with foil and allow to rest a few minutes, then cut into cubes.
  salt and pepper
• Scoop out the skillet drippings. If necessary, add 1-2 tbsp oil and 1-2 tbsp butter.
  4 tbsp canola or olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• In the skillet over medium heat, place the diced onions and cook until they are translucent. Add minced garlic, stir, and turn off the heat.
  ½-1 medium sweet yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
• Add the cut-up chicken, sautéed onion/garlic mixture, half and half, and cheese to the rice mixture. Mix well.
  1¼ cup half and half, 2 cups cheddar or Gruyere cheese
• Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
• Sprinkle the cracker topping over the broccoli rice mixture.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbly.

Becky’s Tips

• Watch the pot of rice and broccoli to ensure the broccoli doesn’t overcook. 
• To finely crush the Ritz crackers, you can use a food processor. 
• Bake just until everything is warmed through and the cheese is melted, so it doesn’t dry out. 
• Let the casserole sit for a few minutes so the cheese firms up, so it is easier to serve.
• Store for up to 3 days. 

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 659kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 38gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 723mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1155IUVitamin C: 68.9mgCalcium: 359mgIron: 2.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How To Make Chicken and Rice Casserole Step by Step

Make the topping: Combine 1 sleeve of crushed Ritz crackers, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, and ¼ tsp smoked paprika in a small bowl and set aside.

Adjust the oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Cook the rice and broccoli: Bring 4 cups of chicken stock to a boil and add 2 cups of rice, 1 bag of frozen broccoli, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp sweet curry. Stir once, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18-20 minutes or until the rice and broccoli are tender.

Get the chicken ready: If using a rotisserie chicken, cut it into ½ inch cubes or shred. If cooking chicken breasts, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 2 tbsp of oil to a skillet and heat until it shimmers, then place the chicken in the skillet over medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until mostly cooked. Turn off the heat, place the chicken on a paper-lined plate, and tent it with aluminum foil to rest. The chicken will continue cooking and then will finish up in the oven. After a few minutes, cut the chicken into cubes.

Cook the onions and garlic: Remove any skillet droppings and add 1-2 tbsp oil and 1-2 tbsp butter to the skillet if necessary. Over medium heat, place ½-1 diced onion and cook until translucent. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, stir, and turn off the heat.

Combine the ingredients: Add the cut-up chicken, sautéed onion/garlic mixture, 1¼ cups half and half, and 2 cups of cheese to the rice mixture. Mix well.

Transfer to the baking dish: Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Add the topping and bake: Sprinkle the cracker topping over the broccoli rice mixture in the casserole. Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.

Serve: Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

How to Store

I’ll store leftovers in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make Ahead and Freeze

When I want to get this casserole in the freezer to bake at a later date, I leave off the cracker topping, cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil in the pan I intend to bake it in (not glass, though—it could shatter!), and freeze.

Bake From Frozen

To bake, remove the plastic wrap, sprinkle on the cracker topping, and bake in a 350°F oven covered with foil for 40 minutes. I take off the foil, give it a stir, and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until hot.

Reheat

To reheat leftovers, I’ll throw them in the oven until warmed through or microwave.

Freeze

I also like to freeze uneaten leftovers. I’ll wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating but if I’m pressed for time, I’ll reheat from frozen until it is warmed through.

Serving Suggestions

Though this casserole itself is a well-rounded meal, I’ll sometimes add a side of green beans or prepare a light green goddess salad. And to finish off our meal, this cozy apple crumble is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I find this casserole is great for busy weeknights, as I can prep it during meal prep or get it ready in the morning and just bake it at the end of the day. It makes enough for a full meal at dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.

More Chicken Casserole Recipes To Try

• Bang Bang Chicken Casserole is cozy, creamy, flavorful, and thankfully doesn’t leave a huge mess behind.
• For this Swiss Chicken Bake, I use just 5 ingredients, including Swiss cheese, cream of chicken soup, stuffing, and white wine. 
• This Chicken Noodle Casserole is creamy, rich, and oh-so delicious.

more chicken recipes

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