Description
This Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole is a quick and easy one-pan meal perfect for busy weeknights! Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and broccoli florets bake in a creamy sauce with melted cheese, creating a satisfying and comforting dish ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken:
- 500g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or tenders, cut into 1.5cm/2/3″ pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable or chicken stock powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Rice:
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth/stock
- 2 1/2 cups milk (any type)
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vegetable or chicken stock powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large broccoli heads, cut into florets
- 2 cups shredded cheese
Garnish:
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) or 350°F (180°C) for fan/convection ovens. Combine chicken with thyme, garlic powder, pepper, ½ teaspoon stock powder, and olive oil.
- Heat Liquids: Heat broth and milk until hot.
- Assemble Casserole: In a 9×13 inch baking dish, layer rice, flour, 1 teaspoon stock powder, and garlic. Add hot broth, stir, then add milk. Top with broccoli, chicken, and butter.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Check rice doneness.
- Add Cheese: Stir in half the cheese. Top with remaining cheese. Bake until melted.
- Serve: Garnish with green onions.
Notes
- Use boneless chicken thighs or tenders for juicier results.
- Substitute stock powder with crumbled bouillon cubes.
- Long-grain white rice works best; other rice types may need longer cooking.
- Use fresh broccoli; if using frozen, thaw and drain first.
- Heat liquids for even cooking.
- Use a ceramic, glass, or cast-iron baking dish.
- Adjust pan size if scaling the recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
