Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

This tacky rooster and rice casserole is consolation food at its finest! Loaded with veggies and a tasty buttery cracker topping, it’s improbable.

Casseroles could have fallen out of food vogue, however they undoubtedly have their time, place, and function. Especially when they’re as scrumptious (and as kid-friendly!) as this one!

Easy From-Scratch Cheese Sauce

This delectably tacky casserole begins with a fast saute of carrots, onions and garlic in butter. I imply, that’s not a wholly dangerous strategy to start issues off, am I proper?

Flour is added and cooked into the combination to make a roux which can thicken the sauce as soon as the broth is added.

After the cream sauce has thickened, a pair different key elements are added:

• cream cheese
• shredded cheddar cheese (grate your individual for optimum cheesiness!)
• salt + pepper + pinch of thyme

The cream cheese helps thicken the sauce and provides creaminess with out screaming: I AM CREAM CHEESE, HEAR ME ROAR. I promise you’ll hardly comprehend it’s there…but in addition, don’t go away it out. (This particular notice included for all my cream cheese haters on the market). 😉

Casserole Add-Ins

Beyond the cheese sauce, the principle elements for this casserole are easy:

• cooked, chopped rooster (a rotisserie rooster works fabulously properly right here)
• cooked rice (you should utilize white or brown rice…see the notice within the recipe for how one can measure)
• steamed broccoli (I do that the simple means within the microwave – particulars within the recipe)

I suppose if you’re utilizing an excellent deep skillet that additionally occurs to be oven-safe, as soon as all the things is combined in, you may preserve all of it on this cozy spot with out transferring to a different baking dish.

I wish to switch all the things to a baking dish since my skillet is just too maxed out to additionally embody the buttery cracker topping.

Ritz Cracker Topping

Speaking of buttery cracker topping, this pleasant aspect to the tacky broccoli casserole is so simple as it sounds: crushed crackers + butter!

The crackers don’t must be pummeled to smithereens. Coarsely crushed is what you need.

And whereas the cracker topping may be very scrumptious, you may go away it off if you happen to’d like and bake the casserole with out it.

Make-Ahead Tips

This rooster and rice casserole – with the creamy, tacky sauce and hearty veggies – is spectacular.

It will be made forward fairly simply! To achieve this:

1. Make the sauce and let it cool till lukewarm.
2. Add the rooster, broccoli and rice.
3. Cover and refrigerate for as much as 24 hours.
4. Mix the cracker topping and refrigerate individually in a bag or container.
5. Add the topping when able to bake. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time to account for the chilled casserole.

I haven’t tried freezing this casserole, however assume it *may* work simply wonderful! Again, I’d freeze the casserole and topping individually.

Comfort Food at its Best

Not solely is that this casserole great for household dinner night time, however it additionally makes a very nice family-friendly take-in meal for associates or household.

Serve it with a lightweight aspect dish, like a inexperienced salad or recent fruit, and you may have a very tasty meal.

While it does require a little bit of prep and just a few extra dishes to scrub than your straightforward, 30-minute meal routine, this tacky rooster and rice casserole may be very a lot price it!

The leftovers are extremely tasty, too (i.e. tasty sufficient I needed to conceal them at the back of the fridge behind the buttermilk so I had a lunch to sit up for).

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Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup diced carrots
• ½ cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rooster broth
• 4 ounces cream cheese, lower into cubes and softened
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of dried thyme
• Pinch of black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
• 3 cups cooked, chopped rooster
• 2 cups cooked white or brown rice (see notice)
• 1 ½ cups coarsely crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve, 32 crackers)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 350 levels F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and put aside.

• In a 12-inch deep skillet (if you do not have a deep skillet, use a 4- or 5-quart pot or saucepan), soften the butter over medium warmth and add the carrots, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring usually, till the veggies soften a bit, 4 to five minutes.

• Add the flour and stir to mix. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Gradually whisk within the broth till clean, and convey the combination to a simmer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes till thickened.

• Add cream cheese, salt, thyme and pepper. Continue cooking, whisking till principally clean (it is okay for there to be just a few small lumps of cream cheese – you will not even discover them on the finish).

• Off the warmth, add the cheddar cheese and stir till mixed. Season to style with further salt and pepper, if wanted (that is necessary for taste)! Set apart.

• Combine broccoli florets and 1/2 cup water in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes till broccoli is tender. (Alternately, you may steam the broccoli on the stovetop.) Drain extra water.

• To the cheese sauce, add the steamed broccoli, rooster and rice. Mix till evenly mixed. Spread evenly within the ready baking dish.

• In a small bowl, stir collectively the cracker crumbs and melted butter. Spread this combination evenly excessive of the casserole.

• Bake for 20 to half-hour till sizzling and effervescent and the cracker topping is flippantly golden (if it browns too rapidly on high, flippantly cowl with foil and proceed baking till the casserole is sizzling all through). Serve instantly.

Rice: the rice needs to be flippantly packed right into a cup – don’t cram it in there or the casserole shall be dry. If you’re the weighing kind, you’ll need about about 12 ounces of cooked rice, give or take a bit.

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 364kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Sodium: 776mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

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Recipe Source: impressed by a recipe in Cuisine at Home (modified nearly all the things about it – added cheddar cheese, diminished cream cheese, used broccoli and extra of it as an alternative of broccolini, and extra)