Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole is soul-satisfying comfort food that's a little easier on your waistline!
Today I’m sharing a fabulous spin on a classic – Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole!
Sauteed chicken, steamed broccoli, and fluffy brown rice are mixed with a homemade cheese sauce then quickly broiled for a fabulous, comforting meal. It’s kind of an “un-casserole” as you don’t have to let the dish bake in the oven, rather, everything is made right on the stove top then tossed together in a casserole dish and quickly broiled.
I also tweaked a few of the ingredients from the standard Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole to make it a bit healthier. More broccoli, and the luscious homemade cheese sauce that brings all the ingredients together has less cheese, light sour cream, and skim milk. This casserole ROCKS. A total crowd-pleaser and fall must-have, for sure!
How to Make this Recipe:
Start by cooking 2 cups long grain brown rice in 4 cups chicken broth. Cooking rice in chicken broth gives it tons of flavor with minimal added calories. You could use white rice in here, but I love the hearty chew brown rice has. Plus when you smother it in cheese sauce, I don’t think anybody’s going to notice!
When the rice has 5 minutes left to cook, add 4 cups broccoli florets and 2 chopped green onions to the pot, place the lid back on top, and let them steam until tender.
Meanwhile, cook 1lb chopped chicken breasts seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper in 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Remove to a plate then very carefully wipe out the skillet with a dry paper towel and turn the heat down to medium.
To the wiped out skillet add 5 teaspoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour whisked into 1/2 cup milk (I used skim,) then pour in 1-1/2 cups more milk.
Stir the milk and flour mixture continuously until thickened and bubbly, about 7-10 minutes, then take the skillet off the heat and add 6oz shredded cheddar cheese (freshly shredded, if possible!) 1/3 cup light sour cream, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Stir the rice and broccoli mixture together with the cooked chicken and cheese sauce then scoop into a 9×13 baking dish, top with another 2oz shredded cheese and broil until melted and bubbly. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then scoop, plate, and devour!
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Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole
Description
Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole is gluten-free, and skinny, soul-satisfying comfort food.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain brown rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1lb chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 5 teaspoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk, divided (I used skim)
- 1/3 cup light sour cream
- 8oz shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot then add rice. Cover then turn heat down to medium-low. When rice has 5 minutes left to cook add broccoli and green onions on top to steam.
- Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and then saute until no longer pink. Remove to a plate and set aside then very carefully wipe out skillet with a dry paper towel.
- Turn heat down to medium then whisk together flour and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl. Pour mixture into skillet then add remaining 1-1/2 cups milk. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until thickened, 7-10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat then add 3/4 of the shredded cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and stir until smooth.
- Preheat broiler. Combine cooked rice and broccoli mixture with cheese sauce then scoop mixture into a nonstick sprayed 9x13 baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Broil until cheese is melted then let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
I made this last night and my 3 year old said “You’re the best cook ever mommy.” No one has ever said that to me (or even thought it) before. Thanks for making this i-don’t-cook-momma a rockstar.
I made this tonight and loved it!!! Super easy to make and totally comfort food. Made it with brown rice too and you couldn’t tell at all. I made it in two 8x8in dishes so one is going in the freezer for a different day. Thanks Love your blog!
I stumbled upon your blog looking for a recipe for tonight and my lunches for the week given the ingredients we had. We had pretty much everything on the list in the fridge. It turned out great and my husband loved it too. He also hates brown rice, so I was able to sneak this in without him knowing and he didn’t notice. Score!
Even better, we did a rough breakdown of the cost of this meal. We got the chicken breasts in bulk on sale ($5 Fridays at Randall’s!), so we figured each breast (2) was around 75 cents to a dollar. We also had a 10-lb bag of brown rice that we probably had bought for $2 some time ago – negligible cost. Used 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli, which cost about $3 / 2 = $1.50. Flour was also negligible. We had milk, sour cream, and cheese – the cheese is the most expensive but we buy generic store brands to cut down those costs too. I’ll parcel this out into four Tupperwares and that will be my lunch for the week, and there’s enough left over to feed my husband a couple more times.
Next time, I am going to cut down on the rice and up the broccoli content, just to add more veg.
Has anyone tried this with almond milk?? I’m gonna make this tomorrow and was seriously considering using almond milk!!
I think it should be ok – my sister in law uses almond milk in place of cows milk in dishes like this and it turns out fine!
Thanks for the response Iowa Girl…..I’m making it right now….I’ll let ya know how it was with the almond milk!!
It turned out just fine with almond milk!!! Thanks again for sharing!! It was yummy!!!
[…] had some extra chicken this week and was craving something with broccoli, so I got on Google and found a healthy-ish casserole to […]
[…] every dish like onions have. Broccoli cheddar soup one of my favorites, so when I came across this recipe for broccoli, chicken, and cheddar, I decided to try to make it. Actually I only roughly used the recipe, and free-styled most of […]
Im making this tonight! I have some broccoli that needs to be used in the fridge:) Looks fantastic! Wondering if I should substitute with almond flour? Ill let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the recipe :)
I though I would tell you that your casserole is about to travel to Belize for dinner. You are also welcome any time.
My mother used to make one like this and I cannot wait to try it tonight. It’s been cool and rainy, perfect weather for a casserole. Thanks for the post.
What a great recipe! Very flavorful, will be making this one again!!!
Hello! I just returned from a potluck where I brought the old version of this casserole (I DID find the “print” button, sorry about that). I didn’t see the new version until I got home. Anyway, I’m emailing it to my friend because she really liked it! Thank you!
Freaking delicious! Family loved it, thanks for sharing. I just added cumin to the chicken, otherwise I followed the recipe.
I made this recipe tonight but added sliced fresh mushrooms and frozen spinach in addition to the broccoli and cut back a little on the rice used to beef up the veggies to carb ratio. I baked it for about 25 minutes at 350 instead of broiling it and it was absolutely delicious! I served it with a little homemade cranberry sauce I had on hand which added a nice sweetness to this savory comfort dish. Thanks so much for the recipe. I’ll definitely make this again.
SO glad I saw this recipe!! I’m going to make this for a Thanksgiving side sans chicken, as I have been searching for a healthier version of the 70s classic Cheesy Broccoli & Rice Casserole that doesn’t involve canned soup & cheese whiz!! Thanks for this & all the great recipes!!
[…] http://iowagirleats.com/2013/10/02/skinny-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-rice-casserole/ […]
[…] Tuesday: http://iowagirleats.com/2013/10/02/skinny-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-rice-casserole/ […]
Thank you sooooooo much! I needed something to make last night for dinner and I stumbled upon this recipe. We all LOVED it and we will definitely add this to the dinner rotation! Thanks again for the delicious recipe!
Thankyou! Got home from work bout and hour ago-hubby worked overtime, we had chicken and broccoli…a search took me here. Just waiting on the broil…prelim taste testing scores a 10!
very gummy and very dry. I did not care for this recipe. I made it because of the beautiful photo. looked like it would be delicious. gummy and dry.
Hi there,
I have a question that might sound silly……how long do I cook the rice for???
It’s not a silly question! :) Check on the rice package to know for sure, but usually 20-30 minutes. When all the broth has been absorbed and the rice is tender, it’s done.
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[…] Recipe: http://iowagirleats.com/2013/10/02/skinny-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-rice-casserole/ […]
Can I use instant rice for this or will it be too mushy with that much liquid?
Hey Amanda! I’ve never used Minute Rice so I’m not 100% sure – it could work if you undercook the rice just a tad before baking!
[…] dinner, however, was extremely winter-y. I made Kristen’s Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole, and it was fabulous. The only downside was that I got distracted and started on it too late, so we […]
Hello from Petaluma, CA! This looks great! I found my way here via a search for homemade bath bombs and I haven’t left yet. So many delicious looking recipes! Really enjoying your blog, your recipes, your writing style and looking forward to reading and cooking along with you.
[…] ( adapted from Iowa Girl Eats) […]
This was delicious. I made it though I altered it slightly because using the broiler still makes me nervous. So I finished it in the oven at 350. Thanks for sharing.
I love this recipe! Today I tried it with Quinoa and unfortunately didn’t have chicken stock available. I think the quinoa works but definitely need the chicken stock. Thanks so much for sharing. It’s becoming a family favorite fast. :)
Found you via Yummly.com. I was looking for a recipe for a picky husband and 14 month old – this recipe delivered! Will be bookmarking your blog and referencing it often! Thanks for this post!
What is the amount of calories per serving?
Made this for dinner today and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing.
[…] wrong pretty easily. Thankfully this casserole does everything right! It’s an adaptation of this recipe and this recipe, and it’s divine. It has a delicious, cheesy, lighter-than-it-could-be […]
A friend of mine brought this dish to me a few days ago while I am recovering from major surgery. Timing was perfect since my adult son and his girlfriend had stopped by and were staying for dinner. This? Perfect! We all loved it so much that I asked my friend for the recipe and have now discoverered your fabulous blog! I, too, enjoy healthy eating and discovering new recipes (as well as running and travel) so this is right up my alley. I have already identified several recipes on this site that I am excited to try once my recovery is complete and I can get back to the kitchen. The hardest part is deciding what to try first! Thank you!
We tried this tonight as our second IGE recipe (in 2 days!). Loved it, love having the leftovers, and gonna make it again and again for years. Thanks!!
[…] via iowagirleats.com […]
[…] From: http://iowagirleats.com/2013/10/02/skinny-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-rice-casserole/ […]
I made this with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (it’s what we had on hand) and my picky 7 year old had thirds!! Great recipe!
I made this tonight with a few tweaks. I made a vegetarian version, using water to cook the rice, and seasoned pan-fried extra firm tofu instead of chicken. I used a combination of brown basmati and wild rice. I halved the recipe (adding a little more broccoli because I love it so) and put it in a 9″ square pan. It turned out terrifically. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you for this recipe. I’ll be making it later this week. I hate using canned soups, processed fake cheese etc. This is the homemade recipe I was looking for.
Can I use regular onion if I don’t have green onion on hand?
I think that’d be fine. I’dd saute it with the chicken instead of steaming it with the broccoli otherwise it’d still be raw.
This looks delicious! I am going to try it tonight…I don’t see where we add the chicken back in after being sauted – maybe I missed it?
Oh you’re right – I wrote about it in the post but not in the recipe! Add it with the cheese sauce and rice before broiling. I hope you enjoy!
[…] This chicken and broccoli rice casserole looks too good to be true, but if we’re being honest, I hate cooking rice. Maybe if I had a rice cooker, I’d be okay with it? But for now someone should just buy me this pizza stone instead. […]
Hi Kristin!! I’m making this for a freezer meal. How should I bake this once it’s thawed??
THanks!
Hey Katie! I haven’t tried this as a freezer meal so I can’t be sure. Maybe thaw in the fridge overnight than bake at 350 for 15-20 mins?
[…] Sunday: Cheesy Chicken & Brown Rice Casserole […]
I love this recipe. I’ve made it two and a half times. I say half because it drives me CRAZY when people review a recipe but say “I subbed this for this and this and left out this…”. SO, I made this once EXACTLY as the recipe calls for and it was divine. And right now, I am eating it as a “dump” casserole to clean out my fridge. I used leftover turkey breast and even some turkey lunch meat instead of chicken, a mixture of cheeses that I needed to use up, greek yogurt instead of sour cream…and it’s still heavenly! Very versatile!
If I wanted to premake and then bake what temp and time in oven would you
Suggest? Thanks!
Made this for dinner tonight with leftover Christmas turkey. I made a few tweeks: no onions, used instant brown rice, and added a pound of chopped bacon. Turned out great!
i pre made this to cook tonight any suggestions on heating before broiling???
Maybe 350 for 15 minutes, covered with foil?
This recipe looks AMAZING! Do you know if Almond milk would be a comparable substitute for regular milk?
Unsweetened/unflavored should work fine!
My family loves this recipe. I was wondering whether you thought it would freeze well. If so, how would you recommend thawing and cooking it? Thanks!
So glad to hear! I haven’t frozen it before, but I’d let it thaw overnight in the fridge if I did.
I know I’m late to the party but just found this on Pinterest and it looks awesome! I’m almost 37 wks pregnant and looking for freezer meals, do you think this can be frozen and reheated well? Thank you!