Today I’m sharing a fabulous spin on a classic, comforting casserole – Healthy Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole!Â
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 stovetop then tossed together in a casserole dish and quickly broiled.
I also tweaked a few of the ingredients from the standard Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole to make it a bit healthier. More broccoli, brown rice instead of white, plus the luscious homemade cheese sauce that brings everything together has less cheese, light sour cream, and skim milk. BOOM. This casserole ROCKS!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by cooking long-grain brown rice in 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 you get the whole grain benefits.
When the rice has 5 minutes left to cook, add fresh broccoli florets and chopped green onions to the pot, place the lid back on top, then let them steam until tender.
Meanwhile, cook chopped chicken breasts seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a splash of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove the chicken 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 gluten-free flour (or all-purpose flour if you don’t need to eat GF) whisked with milk (I used skim,) then pour in additional milk.
Stir the milk and flour mixture continuously until thickened and bubbly, 7-10 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat and add shredded cheddar cheese, light sour cream, plus salt, pepper, and garlic powder.Â
Add the cooked rice and broccoli mixture plus the chicken then stir to combine and scoop into a 9×13 baking dish. Top with a wee bit more shredded cheese then broil until melted and bubbly. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then scoop, plate, and devour!
Similar Recipes
- Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice Skillet
- Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice
- Cheesy Vegetable, Turkey Sausage and Rice Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Easy Cheddar Cheese Sauce for Vegetables
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Healthy Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole
Description
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain brown rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 small 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 (dish will not be GF if using AP flour)
- 2 cups milk, divided (I use 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
- Add chicken broth to a large pot then bring to a boil and add rice. Cover then turn heat down to medium-low and cook according to package directions. When rice has 5 minutes left to cook add broccoli and green onions then replace lid and continue cooking until rice and vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then saute until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside. Turn heat down to medium then very carefully wipe skillet out with a dry paper towel.
- In a small dish, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup milk then pour mixture into skillet. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups milk then cook mixture while 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 then stir until smooth.
- Preheat broiler. Combine cooked rice and broccoli mixture with the cheese sauce and cooked chicken 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.
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
This has become a go-to in our house! Thank you for this delicious dish.
What is the nutritional counts for this recipe?
Have you ever made this as a frozen meal? I’m due in a couple weeks and wondering if i can somehow prep this for a quick and easy throw in the oven meal. If i just made it and stuck it in the oven without melting the cheese what would you put it on and would you let it thaw for a period of time?? Thanks
Congratulations, Meaghan! I’d refrigerate the casserole then top with cheese when it’s cold, and then wrap and freeze. Thaw 24 hours ahead of time before baking covered.
Shamefully, I rarely comment on recipes – even ones I love – but this is worth a comment. This is the ultimate cheat meal for anyone watching calories. My husband even loved it and he’s a steak guy, hates casseroles. The proportions of all ingredients were perfect, and it reheats really well for lunch. This was absolutely delicious. Thank you for the great recipe!!
This is delicious. The whole family loves it. Can’t wait to try more recipes from Iowa girl eats!
This is the first recipe that I have tried from your site! My family liked this meal, and it was easy. I ate it leftover today with some chopped garden tomato on top. Yum! Thank you! I’m new to GF cooking, and looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
My go to recipe!
This is a delicious meal but how many calories per serving?
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Do you add the chopped green onion into the casserole, or just use as a garnish? I didn’t see an instruction for what to do with it. Thank you!
Hi Caroline! Yep, just used the green onions as a garnish. :)
We absolutely love this recipe. It is one of the few dishes that everyone in our family of five will eat. One of my daughters is extremely picky and won’t even eat rice and she will eat this! I even make it with the brown rice and nobody complains! I’ve made it several times and it’s completely fool-proof. Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’m so glad to hear the recipe is a hit with the whole family, Monica! Those are what we like to call “repeaters” in my house!! ;)
[…] ja, das leckere Broccoli Rezept mach ich öfter, ihr findet es hier https://iowagirleats.com/2013/10/02/skinny-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-rice-casserole/ ganz einfach auf Deutsch ‚übersetzt‘: Reis kochen, Hähnchenfleisch anbraten, mit […]
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Just made this for dinner. A bit underwhelming to be honest…the flavoring is quite bland and the cheese sauce ended up very thick despite trying to thin it out with more milk. I’m hoping it’ll get better in the fridge overnight?
I have made this recipe twice now and love it! My husband said it is one of his new favorites! I used Greek yogurt for half the amount of sour cream and couldn’t tell a difference. Thanks for posting!
[…] Das Rezept vom Donnerstag mag ich übrigens besonders gern, ihr findet es unter https://iowagirleats.com/2013/10/02/skinny-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-rice-casserole/ […]
When do you add the chicken?
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