Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice

Since it’s been so cold, snowy, and brutal outside, there couldn’t be a better time to make a cozy, cheesy casserole! I feel like everybody loves a hearty casserole dish! Crank the oven on, throw on some sweats, and have a true comfort meal. This Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice was ridiculously easy to make! It was a dump and bake recipe that tasted absolutely incredible, like you’d never know how easy it was because it was poppin’ with all these complex flavors! I made it all in just one pan! The chicken was so juicy and seasoned perfectly, those bursts of fresh tomato, the broccoli still had a little crunch on it! YUM! Plus, broccoli and cheese are a pair that everybody can get excited about! My family loved this!

This post may contain affiliate links

When did the dump and bake casserole trend become a thing?

In the mid 20th century, especially around the 1950’s, dump and bake casseroles really started to boom when home cooks were looking for simple dinner recipes to feed their families! They wanted easy, they wanted pantry staples, they wanted quick assembly and little hassle! These are things we are still very much wanting today, especially as life seems to always get busier and more stressful!

The cool thing about this recipe is that you literally don’t even have to precook the meat! You don’t have to boil pasta beforehand. Nothing. It was so easy, which was great!

Did you know?

Between the 1960’s and 70’s, food companies pushed broccoli with cheese as a way to get Americans to eat more vegetables! Their tactic worked so well, this combo became an inseparable pair! Eventually people made soups, casseroles, pastas, you-name-it, with these star ingredients, broccoli and cheese!

What ingredients do I need to make this?

For the chicken:

Chicken Breast
Salt
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning
Black Pepper

For the cheesy broccoli chicken and rice:

Basmati Rice
Onion
Broccoli
Garlic
Grape Tomato
Chicken Broth
Shredded Cheddar
Shredded Mozzarella
Butter
Thyme
Salt
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Paprika
Black Pepper
Cooking Spray

For serving:

Parsley
Parmesan

What equipment do I need to make cheesy broccoli chicken and rice?

• 9×13 Baking Pan
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Cheese Grater
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Wooden Spoon

How do I make it?

To get started on this bake, first you’ll want to wash and prep your veggies! Dice the yellow onion, slice the grape tomatoes in half, and cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic and thyme sprigs.

Next, let’s preheat the oven to 400F and start prepping our chicken!

To prep the chicken breast:

Trim the fat off of the chicken breast and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Next, in a large mixing bowl, add all of the spices for the chicken and whisk to combine. Toss the chicken in the seasonings, using your hands to massage and coat all of the pieces.

To make the cheesy broccoli chicken and rice bake:

Get out a 9×13 baking pan and lightly spray with cooking spray. Dump in the rice, spices for the bake, garlic, onion, thyme and the chicken broth. With a wooden spoon, carefully mix everything right in the pan. Divide the butter into two “pats” and add those on top.

Next, nestle the chicken pieces on top of the rice, then scatter the broccoli and tomato all around.

Cover tightly with foil and bake!

Pro Tip: The reason this works without precooking anything is because the rice is submerged in the broth, which cooks it to perfection while basically steaming everything else! How genius, right?! It’s almost too easy!

After a while, remove the bake from the oven, remove the foil, scatter the two shredded cheeses all over the top and bake a little bit longer! Broil on high for a minute or two until cheese is golden and bubbly!

To serve:

Garnish cheesy broccoli chicken and rice bake with freshly shredded parmesan cheese and minced parsley, if desired! Enjoy!

Tips:

• This casserole will keep for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months! The tomatoes may get a little mushy, but it’ll still be really yummy!
• Don’t have grape tomatoes? No problem! Cherry tomatoes would be lovely! Or if you don’t have those, dice up some Romas or whatever you’ve got! If you used diced tomato instead, I would recommend adding it when you add the cheese – that way they’ll still feel fresh and bright!
• If you don’t have basmati rice, any long-grain rice will work here. Jasmine would work really well!
• Use whatever shredded cheese you have on hand! You can also cut the chicken breast into more of a tender shape if you want it to feel even heartier!

Obsessed with the cheesy broccoli combo too? Check these out!

• White Pizza with Broccoli
• Cheddar Chicken Broccoli Bowtie