Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake
Gluten Free Living – 2014
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake is fantastic. This casserole contains chicken, broccoli , whole grain brown rice, lots of cheese and a few other veggies. It’s mixed with a scrumptious sauce that makes this entree a terrific main dish meal. It tastes fabulous and has lots of crunch from the broccoli and great texture from the rice, chicken and other veggies.
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The smooth creamy, cheese sauce just seems to melt in your mouth. It’s a great casserole to make for company. You can substitute turkey for the chicken during the holidays making a great holiday casserole as well!
I made Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake gluten free as well. It does have a lot of dairy so those of you with dairy allergies will have to find substitutes for the cheese and milk. But for those of you without food allergies, Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake is the real deal.
Now that cooler fall evenings have set in, it’s a lot easier to bake in the oven and not be concerned with heating up the whole house. Another great thing about this recipe is it doesn’t use any canned soups, so you’re not filling your family up with preservatives, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, excess sugar, and other ingredients that are harmful to your health. 🙁
My husband loves rice and pasta in recipes. He grew up eating a lot more rice than I did. It’s taken me a long time to learn to enjoy rice. When I made this recipe last month it was gobbled down in a couple of days even though this recipe makes a lot. And, get this, there are only the two of us! It is really a satisfying casserole on cool, fall and winter nights. It’s not necessarily low in calories, but it’s a comfort food dish you’ll savor for sure. 🙂
If want to enjoy a scrumptious chicken entree tonight, then make up a batch of Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake. Everyone in your family will take second and third helpings of this delightful dish. So, be warned, you won’t have very many leftovers to enjoy on another day. 🙁
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake is comfort food at its best!
Every bite of Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake is terrific. You’ll be wanting seconds!
This is a great recipe to use during the holidays with leftover turkey as well.
If you enjoy chicken and rice dishes, this one is terrific.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients.
Place chicken in a greased 9×13″ baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through. Cut in chunks and set aside. Meanwhile, cook rice.
In a skillet melt butter over low to medium heat. Add peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms.
Mix gluten free flour with some of the evaporated milk. (You can also use cream but regular milk will change the consistency). After veggies are tender whisk in the flour/milk mixture.
Add remaining milk and whisk to incorporate.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add part of the cheese.
Stir sauce until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, wash and cut broccoli into florets. Microwave broccoli until done. Sprinkle lemon juice over top. Set aside.
Place cut up chicken in the bottom of a greased 10×15″ glass baking dish. (You can also use a large roaster pan).
Place broccoli over top.
Add cheese sauce and cooked rice. Stir to combine.
If mixture seems a little too thick, add a little heavy whipping cream.
Stir to combine and spread into baking dish.
Top with remaining cheese.
Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbly.
Serve first, second and third helpings to your family and other satisfied diners.
This casserole is so cheesy. I made it gluten free, but not dairy free.
Here’s the recipe.
CHEESY CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE BAKE
(Recipe adapted from Neighbor Julia; source: adapted from Salad in a Jar)
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 10x15" glass baking dish
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 large sauce pan
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 microwavable steamer
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 cup brown rice
- 3 cups water
- 8 oz. can mushrooms drained
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic from a jar or 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter one-half stick
- 2 large crowns broccoli florets about 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2/3 tsp. Kosher salt or sea salt
- 1/3 tsp. ground black pepper
- 24 oz. can evaporated milk (two 12-ounce cans)
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten free flour or use regular flour
- 1 tsp. Salt and pepper as needed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream as needed (see note below)
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a 9x13” baking dish.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake chicken breasts at 350° for about 40-45 minutes or until done.
- Cut in bite sized pieces.
- Place in greased 10x15 baking dish.
- Meanwhile, cook rice.
- Add 3 cups of water to rice and heat to boiling.
- Lower heat and simmer until done—about 25-30 minutes.
- Add to chicken in baking dish.
- Steam broccoli about 3 minutes in microwave in microwavable steamer.
- Drain.
- Sprinkle lemon juice over top.
- Add to dish with chicken and rice.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add onions, celery, mushrooms and garlic and sauté a few minutes until translucent.
- Stir half of a 12-oz. can of evaporated milk with the gluten free flour.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add to onion mixture and stir to combine.
- Add remaining milk and whisk until incorporated.
- Add salt, pepper and 3 ½ cups cheese.
- Stir and heat a few minutes until cheese melts.
- Add cheese mixture to other ingredients in baking dish and stir to combine.
- Add cream to make of better spreading consistency.
- Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese.
- Cover and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until casserole is heated through and bubbly.
Notes
Recipe source: adapted from Salad In A Jar.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup brown rice
- 3 cups water
- 8-oz. can mushrooms, drained
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- ½ tsp. minced garlic from a jar
- ¼ cup (one-half stick) butter
- 2 large crowns broccoli florets (about 4 cups broccoli florets)
- 2/3 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/3 tsp. pepper
- 2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup all-purpose gluten free flour
- salt and pepper, as needed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, as needed
- Place chicken breasts in a 9×13” baking dish.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake chicken breasts at 350° for about 40-45 minutes or until done.
- Cut in bite sized pieces.
- Place in greased 10-x15 baking dish.
- Meanwhile, cook rice.
- Add 3 cups of water to rice and heat to boiling.
- Lower heat and simmer until done—about 25-30 minutes.
- Add to chicken in baking dish.
- Steam broccoli about 3 minutes in microwave in microwavable steamer.
- Drain.
- Sprinkle lemon juice over top.
- Add to dish with chicken and rice.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add onions, celery, mushrooms and garlic and sauté a few minutes until translucent.
- Stir half a can of evaporated milk with the gluten free flour.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add to onion mixture and stir to combine.
- Add remaining milk and whisk until incorporated.
- Add salt, pepper and 3 ½ cups cheese.
- Stir and heat a few minutes until cheese melts.
- Add cheese mixture to other ingredients in baking dish and stir to combine.
- Add cream to make of better spreading consistency.
- Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese.
- Cover and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until casserole is heated through and bubbly.
If you enjoy cheese, you will LOVE this casserole.
Doesn’t Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake look delicious?
Every bite of this casserole will have you salivating.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Baked Turkey and Rice with Black Beans
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Bake
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 10×15" glass baking dish
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 large sauce pan
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 microwavable steamer
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 cup brown rice
- 3 cups water
- 8 oz. can mushrooms drained
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic from a jar or 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter one-half stick
- 2 large crowns broccoli florets about 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2/3 tsp. Kosher salt or sea salt
- 1/3 tsp. ground black pepper
- 24 oz. can evaporated milk (two 12-ounce cans)
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten free flour or use regular flour
- 1 tsp. Salt and pepper as needed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream as needed (see note below)
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a 9×13” baking dish.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake chicken breasts at 350° for about 40-45 minutes or until done.
- Cut in bite sized pieces.
- Place in greased 10×15 baking dish.
- Meanwhile, cook rice.
- Add 3 cups of water to rice and heat to boiling.
- Lower heat and simmer until done—about 25-30 minutes.
- Add to chicken in baking dish.
- Steam broccoli about 3 minutes in microwave in microwavable steamer.
- Drain.
- Sprinkle lemon juice over top.
- Add to dish with chicken and rice.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add onions, celery, mushrooms and garlic and sauté a few minutes until translucent.
- Stir half of a 12-oz. can of evaporated milk with the gluten free flour.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add to onion mixture and stir to combine.
- Add remaining milk and whisk until incorporated.
- Add salt, pepper and 3 ½ cups cheese.
- Stir and heat a few minutes until cheese melts.
- Add cheese mixture to other ingredients in baking dish and stir to combine.
- Add cream to make of better spreading consistency.
- Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese.
- Cover and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until casserole is heated through and bubbly.
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