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With just 5 ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep, this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is an easy dinner that cooks in one dish! There’s no need to pre-cook the rice, pre-cook the chicken, or pre-cook the veggies, making the cozy, family-friendly meal a simple option for busy nights!
You know what’s even better than creating my own new dump-and-bake dinner recipes? Having awesome readers send me their favorite dump-and-bake dinner recipes!
I initially met Rachel when she participated in my free 5-Day Meal Planning Challenge (you can still join the free challenge HERE if you’re interested). Rachel was very active in the Facebook group, where she was kind enough to share a number of different meal ideas.
This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is one of Rachel’s favorite easy dinner options, and after one look at the short ingredient list I knew that it would be a winner in my house as well!
Not only does it taste delicious, but Rachel’s Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole could not be easier!
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
You start by whisking together a can of Cream of Chicken Soup with some water in your dish.
Add the raw chicken, frozen broccoli florets (yes, still frozen!), and uncooked rice. I used baby broccoli florets because they’re the perfect size for my kids to eat without even cutting them!
Season it all with salt and pepper, give it a stir, and cover the dish tightly with foil. That’s it!
The rice cooks slowly in the pan, absorbing the liquid, releasing its starches, and creating this great creamy consistency. With an optional sprinkle of cheese on top, the end result is a one-pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole that looks (and tastes) like you spent hours slaving over a hot stove!
The meat is juicy, the broccoli is tender, and the dish is like a giant, comforting hug on a cool evening. Best of all, you only have to spend about 5 minutes dumping the ingredients into your pan. That’s a major WIN!
More Dump and Bake Recipes You Might Like:
- Dump and bake chicken noodle casserole
- Dump and bake chicken fajita quinoa
- Dump and bake taco casserole
- Dump and bake cider glazed chicken
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup (NOT diluted)
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 lb. uncooked chicken breast or tenders diced
- 1 (12.6 oz) bag frozen baby broccoli florets (or cuts)
- Optional topping: ½ cup grated cheddar cheese*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add cream of chicken soup and water to the prepared dish. Whisk together until completely combined.
- Stir in uncooked rice, uncooked chicken, and frozen broccoli. Season with about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir again.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through. If desired, sprinkle the top of the casserole with grated cheese and return to the oven for a few more minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
Thank you so much! I will let you know how it turns out!
We loved it. Easy, had everything on hand. I made as written except, I rinsed the rice and added paprika and cut the chicken up larger than diced. This is a keeper. Thank you.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Jocelyn! Thanks for your kind note!
So happy I found this! I’m a student and it’s hard to find reasonably healthy comfort food recipes that are easy and cheap. Would it be possible to substitute brown rice for the white rice? If yes, how would you recommend altering the cooking time / amount of liquid? Thank you! 🙂
I haven’t tested this with brown rice, so try it at your own risk. 🙂 Brown rice takes MUCH longer to cook than white rice, and will require more liquid. As a result, I would give the brown rice a head start in the oven and use extra liquid. I don’t know exactly how long the brown rice will need to bake, but I would think maybe twice as long (since it takes about twice as long to boil)? Then halfway through stir in the broccoli and chicken. Otherwise the other ingredients will get overcooked by the time the brown rice is done.
I have made this easily over 25 times. Every time I use frozen brown rice. Throw it right on top of the condensed soup. Cook time is 45 minutes for me in my convection oven. Perfect every time!
Awesome tip, Angela! Thank you! 🙂
Can you use minute rice?
Hi, Tammy! I think that some other readers have used Minute Rice with good luck, but just keep in mind that Minute Rice will cook much faster than regular long-grain white rice. It also will not absorb as much liquid.
Just made it for dinner. I added 1/4 cup of water because of the reviews. It was not enough. I also didn’t have any frozen broccoli, so I used frozen sliced carrots and okra, which was delicious. Also, it definitely needed salt and seasoning. I used garlic and sea salt. Turned out good. I’d make it again but add more liquid. I like the idea of adding cream cheese, like some of the other reviewers suggested. Also, my rice was not fully cooked in 45 min. It needed an extra 20 min.
Can i freeze it before cooking it?
Yes, you can — but I don’t think the texture of the rice is nearly as good when it’s thawed. 🙂
I’ve been using your recipe for years! We love it!
Tonight we added cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder and topped it with a 3 cheese blend (cheddar, Monterey Jack, and mozzarella)
That’s great, Kelley! Thanks so much for letting me know! This is definitely one of those meals that works well with so many different seasonings and mix-ins. Glad that you’re having fun with it and making it your own. 🙂
Can I make ahead and put in fridge overnight to pop in the oven the next day?
Hi, Amber! I think so; however, the rice will soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits. This means that it will probably cook a little bit faster, and you may need to add some extra liquid as it cooks. Don’t forget to let the dish sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes before baking, too. You don’t want to put a cold dish into the oven.
Ok, this was awesome. I did make some changes though. I used two cans of mushroom soup, 1.5c milk, 2 chicken breasts, and at least two cups of fresh brocolli run through the food processor to chop it. Some pink salt, rosemary, and four peppercorn blend. Added the 3/4 cup of water as well, to make sure it didn’t dry out and had enough liquid. Baked at 375 for about an hour(checking rice for done ness) and then added cheese on top and broiled it. Oh my……I’m keeping this one lol. Thank you for sharing!!
Great, thanks for sharing your changes, Toni! 🙂
I read everyone’s comments before trying this dish and made a few changes. Since I was cooking for two, I used a little more water and I also added onion, green, red peppers, garlic to the sauce. I also cooked it about 15 minutes longer to make sure the chicken was done. If the previous cooks said it was dry, it was because their juice cooked out, just add a little more water or soup. My husband who is a very picky eater thought it was great. I’m one of those who don’t follow a recipe to the “T”, but season to my taste. I will make it again.
Thanks, Sarah! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a note and share your changes for others, too. 🙂
If I want to use real broccoli should I partially cook it?
Hi, Kathleen! If you prefer the broccoli really soft, then I would parboil it or steam it a little bit before adding it to the dish. If you like the broccoli crisp-tender when it’s done, then you can add the raw fresh broccoli directly to the dish.
Great recipe! I was in a pinch for time so I used canned chicken instead. It turned out perfect! Thanks for keeping it simple 🙂
Awesome! Thank you, Emily!
I have made this many many times before, but I am cooking for a few extra people tonight, and I am hopefully to double or 150% this recipe. Would doing that necessitate a longer cook time? Thanks!
Hi, MK! The cooking time should be about the same. If you’re using a bigger, deeper pan than usual, then I would increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes, and then check the rice. I don’t think it will be drastically different, though. Hope everyone enjoys!
Hi, can I assemble ahead of time and bake the next day?
Hi, Hannah! Yes, I think that would probably work fine!
I am trying this tonight Should I be concerned the mix ox soup with 3/4 cup of liquid looks verrrrry thick?? (I’m adding some more broth as I put some mushrooms in). I’ll let you know the results (dump in our stomachs or tip in the dogs dish.. I’m sure it will be superb
Hi, Bob! I hope that you enjoyed it! You should always feel free to add more broth, as necessary, to reach your preferred consistency. 🙂
If I have frozen broccoli, but I want to use already cooked chicken, how long should I cook it for? Or would it be best to cook the rice and broccoli separately and then add the chicken in later?
Hi, Katie! The chicken should be fine, even if it’s already cooked. The total baking time shouldn’t change too much, since you still need the rice to cook through all of the way. Just keep an eye on the dish and take it out of the oven as soon as the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. 🙂
Thank you!
Can you use chicken hindquarters?
Hi, Irene! Yes, I think they would work well!
Thanks for the recipe. My husband said keep this recipe.
Excellent! I’m so glad that you both enjoyed it, Jessica. Thank you for your note!
Really good! I added a half cup of chicken broth because I wanted it a little saucier. I only had fresh broccoli so I chopped it up small and boiled it a few minutes before adding it to my mixture. I think next time I would add some finely chopped onion as well because we add onion to everything lol. But, my family (including my toddler) loved it!
That’s great, Karli! Thanks so much for your note!
Making this as I’m typing this I’m hoping for a hit
Hope you enjoy it, Suzanne!
Thanks for this recipe! I will definitely make this one a regular for us. So simple and beyond EASY!
Thanks, Edie!
I love this recipe! I’m not a fan of cooking so I’m grateful to find recipes that are simple as well as tasty. My daughter has gluten and casein allergies so I use gluten free cream of chicken soup and dairy free cheese…it’s delicious and we make it often! Thanks for sharing!
That’s so good to hear, and I’m glad that you can even make it work for your daughter’s needs. Thank you!
I hope this blog is still checked! 1/2 the time I try to cook this, the rice doesn’t cook! What am I doing wrong?
Hi, Maggie! It’s hard for me to know for sure. Given the right temperature, the right amount of liquid, and enough time in the oven, the rice should cook through every time. If it’s not done half the time, it sounds like it just needs to stay in the oven a little bit longer. Maybe on those days you’re using a different type of pan (like glass rather than metal)? A glass dish will require a bit more time than a metal dish, for instance. Either way, just keep an eye on it and leave it in the oven until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
I am a very picky eater and am NOT a fan of leftovers except this Broccoli Rice Chicken or LASAGNA!
I follow this recipe to a T and it always turns out great! My mom has trued to make it but always switches and uses a different recipe at family gatherings and it never turns out good.
I have done several other SeasonedMom Dump and Bakes. They are fast and easily
I’m so happy to hear that, Ang. Thank you for your note!
Oh my goodness this was SO good! I was so worried it wasn’t going to work out but everything cooked perfectly.
For my changes, I added a can of chicken, grated in 2 cloves of garlic, and stirred in the cheese (I used an Italian blend) instead of just putting it on top. I did rinse the rice a little since we use calrose rice and it’s extremely starchy. Next time I’ll add a touch more liquid (since canned chicken doesn’t create liquid the same way cooking chicken does) to make it a little saucier, but this was an amazing dinner. My husband and 3 year old loved it, and it’s a keeper to make again! Thank you for making a simple yet also functional and delicious recipe!
Thank you, Sam. I appreciate your detailed notes, which I know others will find helpful. So glad that the meal was a success!
Can I use the knorr cheddar broccoli rice
Hi, Malorie! I’m not too familiar with that rice, but I’m guessing it’s instant rice (or parboiled) so that it’s quick-cooking. If that’s the case, then it might work, but it will cook faster and just won’t quite absorb as much liquid.
Would I need a bigger pan if I do 3x the ingredients?
Thank you!
Hi, Nichelle! Yes, you would need a very deep 9 x 13 lasagna-style pan, or (better yet) I would recommend preparing three separate dishes.
I love how easy this recipe is, and it came out so delicious! Perfect for busy weeknights when I’m just too tired to cook. LOVED IT!
Thank you so much, Christine!
I’m thinking of using chicken thighs, which I have on hand, and also instant rice. I think I’ll have to precook the chicken thighs, and prepare the instant rice first. Then add the other ingredients with it in the baking dish. I think it’ll take only about 25 minutes or so to esentially heat through. Sorry I seem to be changing up your recipe, but it’s all I have on hand at the moment, so wanted to give this recipe a try anyway. Hopfully this works out ok. I will try your recipe, as written, at a later date, and comment on it then. Thanks for sharing. It sounds so good, that I wanted to try it right away, with what I have.
I hope it worked for you, Elizabeth! Since you’re pre-cooking the rice, you won’t need as much liquid in the dish. Not sure if you adjusted for that or not, but again — hope it was a success. 🙂
I made the broccoli and rice dish and loved it. It was so easy and quick to put together. Love meals like this. I just cook for me and lots of time I will skip a meal because it’s just too much a bother. But, these meals are so easy I will make them. Thx so much!
That’s wonderful. Thank you, Aloma!
This was a total winner. Quick and easy prep, flawless baking, effortless dinner that made my partner, tween and teen VERY happy. Bumped the liquid up to one cup and threw on a handful of grated cheese at the very end. Thank you, a thousand times, for a delicious, complete meal that basically made itself.
Awesome! So glad that the kids approved, Shannon. Thank you!