Broccoli Chicken Casserole with Homemade Cheese Sauce and Frozen Broccoli
Broccoli Chicken Casserole is cheesy, filling, and comforting. Rotisserie chicken and frozen broccoli offer shortcuts that are big on flavor, while homemade cheese sauce brings this casserole into the major leagues.
Equipment
- 1 cutting board and knife
- 1 microwave
- 1 9"x13" baking dish
- 1 Medium Saucepot for cheese sauce
- 1 Whisk for cheese sauce
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1 and ½ cups uncooked, long grain white rice
- 2 and ¼ cups chicken stock
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheese Sauce
- 1 recipe homemade cheddar cheese sauce recipe below
- 4 cups frozen broccoli florets
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken
Panko Topping
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup shredded medium cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Cook the Rice
- Lately, I've been cooking my rice in the Instant-Pot. Feel free to use any method you like (see note). For Instant-Pot rice, add 1 and ½ cups uncooked long grain rice, 2 and ¼ cups chicken stock, 1 Tablespoon butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt into the metal pot of the Instant-Pot.
- Set Instant-Pot to "sealing" and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. Natural release for 5 minutes, then manual release and fluff the rice with a fork. Set aside.
Make the Cheese Sauce
- The recipe for the Homemade Cheddar Cheese Sauce is below.
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Panko Topping
- Add 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs and 2 Tablespoons of butter in a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, or until the butter is melted.
- Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and all of the breadcrumbs are coated in butter.
- When the topping has cooled, stir in ½ cup of cheddar cheese.
Assembly
- Spread the cooked rice evenly in the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish.
- Thaw the broccoli by placing it in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving at 2 minute intervals, stirring in between, until the broccoli is thawed enough to chop. You don't want to overcook the broccoli.
- Pour the thawed broccoli into a kitchen towel and squeeze any extra water out.
- Chop 2 cups of rotisserie chicken into small pieces.
- Chop 4 cups of thawed broccoli into small pieces.
- Scatter the chopped broccoli and chicken evenly over the rice.
- Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the broccoli and chicken.
- Add the Panko topping evenly over the whole casserole.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until casserole is browned on top, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let cool slightly and serve!
Notes
Other methods for cooking rice:
- Place all rice ingredients in a medium-sized pot. Bring rice to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, take the pot off the heat, and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Place all rice ingredients in a rice cooker, and use the white rice setting.