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cheesy chicken and rice bake in casserole dish

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake With Broccoli (No Canned Soup)

This Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake has it all - tender chunks of chicken nestled amongst perfectly cooked rice, vibrant green broccoli and topped with melty cheese. Similar to Chicken Divan, this dish is creamy and has hearty flavors but without added cream of soup.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings

Ingredients
  

For Chicken Casserole

  • 1 pound chicken breasts cut into bite-sized smaller pieces
  • 2 cups brown rice cooked or white rice
  • 4 ½ cups fresh broccoli cut into small florets

For Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded and divided
  • 2 tablespoon curly parsley freshly chopped to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare an 8x11 casserole dish by greasing lightly with olive oil or butter.
  • In a large skillet, over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and sear the chicken for about 5-6 minutes. Set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the remaining cooking oil. And once hot, saute the onion until it starts to get brown.
  • Add in the flour and whisk quickly for about a minute or so.
  • In batches, stir in milk, continuously whisking. When all the milk is added, add in the spices and season with salt and black pepper.
  • Simmer the mixture on low heat until it thickens. Stir every once in a while. Remove from the heat and add 1-½ cup of cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and incorporated into the mixture.
  • In a large bowl or right in the prepared casserole dish, mix rice, broccoli, chicken, and sauce.
  • Sprinkle the remaining ½ cups cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Serve while the casserole is still warm and the cheese melty.
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