Healthy Broccoli Chicken Casserole with Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup (with Video)
Today’s Broccoli Chicken Casserole features tender, perfectly cooked rice and broccoli with juicy, herb-infused chicken with a crunchy, cheesy topping. It’s a cleaned-up version of this classic, comforting casserole.
Healthy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
I didn’t grow up with casseroles but as a parent, they have become a life-saver on busy weeknights. I can just throw a bunch of ingredients in a casserole dish and in less than 30 minutes I have a perfectly cooked protein, vegetables and whole grain that the whole family enjoys.
However, a lot of traditional casserole recipes contain high amounts of sodium and prepared ingredients that don’t offer a lot of health benefits while adding a whole lot of empty calories and unhealthy fats.
So, I’ve tried to rework some of these classic casseroles to still be convenient and delicious while being a healthy offering that I can feel good about serving my family.
Today’s broccoli chicken casserole is a cleaned up version of this comforting casserole made with an easy and utterly delicious homemade cream of chicken soup. Traditionally, broccoli chicken casserole is made with canned cream of chicken (or canned cheese) soup and also kind of lacks any flavor except salt.
We’ve amped up the flavor profile while keeping it family-friendly, resulting in a cheesy, comforting classic casserole with juicy, flavorful chicken, tender broccoli and perfectly cooked rice.
While the homemade cream of chicken soup takes a bit of extra time to prepare, it makes enough for a second meal and the flavor it provides is unmatched by anything you can get out of a can.
Once you’re done with the soup, all that’s left is to stir it up with the remaining ingredients and bake the casserole. That’s it.
Broccoli Chicken Casserole Variations:
- swap the broccoli for cauliflower
- add additional vegetables – zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, etc.
- use gluten-free flour and Panko crumbs
- use whole-wheat flour and breadcrumbs
- use canned cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup instead of our homemade version
- or use canned cheese soup for an extra cheesy casserole
- use pasta instead of rice
- swap out the regular rice for cauliflower rice
- you can even swap out the protein – fish, steak, ground beef, ham, shrimp, etc.
- use ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs
- if not using our homemade cream of chicken soup, use rotisserie chicken for a bit of additional flavor
- swap out the poultry seasoning for ranch seasoning if it’s a family favorite
How to store broccoli chicken casserole: You can refrigerate and enjoy leftovers for up to 5 days. Wrap or cover with an airtight lid before storing.
How to prepare broccoli chicken casserole ahead of time: You can prepare this casserole 2 days before you plan to serve it. Prepare it right up until the point of baking, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed.
How to freeze: assemble the casserole right up until the baking step, but do not bake. Wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. (Pyrex dishes with lids are perfect to use for this.)
What’s the difference between broccoli chicken casserole and chicken divan? Broccoli chicken casserole is inspired by Chicken Divan which was originally created in NYC’s Divan Parisienne Restaurant, but the two casseroles have a couple key differences.
Chicken Divan is always made with pre-made cream of chicken soup and does not contain any rice or grains. My friend Kylee has a classic Chicken Divan recipe on her site that contains only 7 ingredients.
Can I use leftover cooked rice? While technically you can add precooked rice, all rice can contain bacillus cereus – which can cause severe food poisoning. Even if the rice has been fully cooked previously, that bacteria doesn’t actually disappear – it just becomes benign temporarily.
I personally refuse to re-use rice unless I re-boil it at high temperatures (above 200F) – which, if you do this with already cooked rice, can make the rice very soft and sometimes mealy, so that’s up to your personal discretion.
More Comforting Casserole Recipes:
- Cleaned-up Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Frito Pie Casserole (with Video)
- Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Ham and Cheese Sandwich Casserole
- Chicken Divan Casserole from Kylee Cooks
- Easy John Wayne Casserole from Bake Me Some Sugar
If you’d prefer to use canned cream of chicken soup and skip making it yourself from scratch, check out this video that shows a more “traditional” broccoli chicken casserole – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:
Healthy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole Ingredients
For the Homemade Cream of Chicken soup:
- Olive Oil
- Small Onion, diced
- Garlic Cloves, sliced
- Chicken, cut into 1” cubes
- All-Purpose Flour
- Poultry Seasoning <– grab our recipe for homemade poultry seasoning
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Chicken Broth
- Milk
For the Casserole:
- Rice, uncooked
- Broccoli, cut into florets
- Chicken <– use the chicken from the homemade cream of chicken, if making
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- Breadcrumbs <– I always use Panko-style breadcrumbs because of the amazing crunch and texture they provide
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Note: if using canned cream of chicken soup, add 1 cup of milk plus the can of soup to replace the homemade cream of chicken soup.
Tip: while broccoli is traditional, you can swap it out for any crunchy vegetable or use a medley. If using frozen vegetables, ensure they are fully frozen and then place on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes to remove any remaining moisture before adding to the casserole.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Heavy stockpot or Dutch Oven <– highly recommended for even cooking and seamlessly transferring this recipe from the stove to the oven
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
- 9″ x 13″ Casserole Dish <– I love these Pyrex dishes with fitted lids for easy transportation to parties or leftover storage
- Wooden spoon or spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
- Cheese Grater
How to Make Broccoli Chicken Casserole
For the Cream of Chicken Soup:
Place the oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sliced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cubed chicken.
Cook until the chicken is at least 125F (it will continue cooking further in the soup and casserole), stirring occasionally.
Add the flour and poultry seasoning to the chicken and stir to coat.
Add the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth and milk and bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
Reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.
For the Casserole:
Grease a 9” x 13” casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the rice according to package directions.
Preheat oven 350F
Layer the casserole ingredients in the casserole dish: rice, followed by the cream of chicken soup and chicken, then the broccoli.
Stir to combine.
Top with the shredded cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and cream of chicken soup appears to be thickened.
Pin this Cleaned-up Broccoli Chicken Casserole for a healthy yet comforting meal:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our healthy broccoli chicken casserole recipe:
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Healthy Broccoli Chicken Casserole with Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
Ingredients
For the Cream of Chicken Soup:
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion, diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken, cut into 1” cubes
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning, or more to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Milk
For the Casserole:
- 1 cup Rice, uncooked
- 4 cups Broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken <-- use the chicken from the homemade cream of chicken, if making
- 2 cups Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
Instructions
For the Cream of Chicken Soup:
- Place the oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sliced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cubed chicken.
- Cook until the chicken is at least 125F (it will continue cooking further in the soup and casserole), stirring occasionally.
- Add the flour and poultry seasoning to the chicken and stir to coat.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth and milk and bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.
For the Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole:
- Grease a 9” x 13” casserole dish and set aside.
- Cook the rice according to package directions.
- Preheat oven 350F
- Layer the casserole ingredients in the casserole dish: rice, followed by the cream of chicken soup and chicken, then the broccoli.
- Stir to combine.
- Top with the shredded cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and cream of chicken soup appears to be thickened.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 882mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 21g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy broccoli chicken casserole recipe as much as mine does!
For more ways to enjoy chicken, check out our full chicken recipe collection here:
