This is a dump-and-bake Chicken Rice Casserole with broccoli that’s made from scratch. It’s creamy, cheesy, comforting and tastes like a risotto but so much easier to make! It’s the ultimate emergency meal – completely effortless but doesn’t sacrifice flavour for convenience.
NO CANNED SOUP!!!
How to make Chicken Rice Casserole – my Emergency way!
This is a dump-and-bake rice casserole that’s made from scratch.
And anyone who knows anything about cooking will (rightfully!) raise their eyebrows when they see how this emergency version of Chicken Rice Casserole is made:
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Dump UNCOOKED RICE in pan
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Sprinkle with flour and seasonings
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Mix with liquids (broth and milk)
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Top with RAW chicken and RAW broccoli
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Bake
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Stir in cheese, melt cheese, serve.
And this is what comes out: a CREAMY Chicken Rice Casserole with PERFECTLY COOKED rice with JUICY SEASONED pieces of chicken! 🙌🏻
What this Chicken Rice Casserole tastes like
It truly tastes like everybody’s favourite risotto – except you haven’t been slaving over a hot stove for 20 minutes. The rice is coated with a creamy cheesy sauce that’s made with milk and flavoured with chicken broth/stock plus stock powder.
It’s nice and creamy rather than stodgy like many rice casseroles are, and comes out of the oven with a bubbly golden cheesy top.
Most of the chicken has some browning on it, and the chicken stays juicy and isn’t overcooked.
The broccoli is on the soft side, but most definitely not cooked into mushy oblivion. You could steam it separately and stir it through at the end, but I chose convenience for a relatively small compromise!
What you need
Here’s what you need to make this Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole:
The key ingredient here that makes a real difference to the tastiness of this recipe is stock powder, also known as bouillon powder. I use this in lieu of salt in this recipe because it’s salt with flavour.
Use chicken or vegetable stock powder – my favourite is Vegeta which is a vegetable one, pictured below. Crumbled bouillon cube will work just great too – it’s the same thing, in cube form!
We need this extra flavour boost to compensate for skipping the usual flavour base step of sautéing onion and garlic in butter and searing the chicken until golden brown like I do with my stovetop Chicken Rice Casserole!
Other uses for Vegeta?
I’m a huge fan of Vegeta, it’s my secret ingredient for great soup broths, such as for from-scratch Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s also my trick to make a really great QUICK clear soup broth for Chicken Rice Soup and faster Chicken Noodle Soup, and a really terrific creamy sauce for Chicken Pot Pie.
NO CANNED SOUP!
I would’ve loved to call it the WORLD’s easiest – but I know for a fact it is not!
The world’s easiest chicken rice casserole is made with just chicken, rice and canned soup that is dumped in a pan and baked, and you will never see that recipe on my site.
I do not judge (you’re talking to she whose parents would crack an egg over rice, add a drizzle of soy and call that dinner!) but using canned soup to make shortcut casseroles just isn’t the way I cook. 😇
But I do truly believe this to be the easiest Chicken Rice Casserole that’s made from scratch because we by-pass the usual roux making process whereby melted butter is mixed with flour and used to thicken milk to make a creamy sauce for loads of things from Mac and Cheese, the Béchamel Sauce for Lasagna to Chicken Pot Pie.
And I promise you – it is 100% delicious. Not “hmm, it’s pretty good”. It’s SERIOUSLY delicious. Creamy, cheesy, comforting, can’t-stop-eating-it-good!!! – Nagi x
PS This is the rice version of the Ultra Lazy Chicken Broccoli PASTA Bake and the baked version of this 30 minute stovetop Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, both of which are reader favourites!
Watch how to make it
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Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 500g (1 lb) chicken thighs or tenders (tenderloin) , cut into 1.5cm / 2/3" pieces (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp vegetable or chicken stock powder (granulated bouillon) (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Rice:
- 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) chicken broth/stock , low sodium
- 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) milk , any fat %
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 3)
- 1/4 cup (35g) flour , plain / all purpose
- 1 tsp vegetable or chicken stock powder (granulated bouillon) (Note 2)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
- 2 broccoli heads (large!), cut into florets (Note 4)
- 2 cups (200g) shredded cheese
Garnish:
- 2 green onions , finely sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (180°C/350°F fan/convection).
- Mix Chicken Ingredients.
- Heat chicken broth and milk until hot using any method (stove, microwave). Can combine together in saucepan. (Note 5)
- Spread rice in 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" ceramic or glass baking dish. (Note 6)
- Sprinkle with flour, stock powder and garlic.
- Add the hot chicken broth, stir until flour dissolved (some small lumps ok).
- Add milk, swish rice to spread out evenly.
- Spread broccoli on top, then chicken, then plonk butter on (anywhere).
- Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. (Might get some browned skin on surface, that's ok)
- CHECK rice before stirring - should be JUST cooked (Note 7).
- Add half the cheese, stir through, being sure to get rice in the corners and edges of pan. Should be creamy and quite loose (see video).
- Top with cheese, return to oven for 5 minutes until just melted.
- Sprinkle with green onion, if using, then serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
This is why I never drive with the windows down – he’d lose his head with a passing car!!!😲😲😲
Colleen Hess says
Made your Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole. It was so awesome. Enough to share with my neighbors who said wow! Thank you for another food hit. Give mom 10 licks Dozer.
Nagi says
Wahoo! That’s great Colleen!
Kathy says
Hubby loved this Nagi. Thank you – again!
Sharyn says
Quick, easy and I could do other stuff while it was in the oven. Kids loved it. Thank You!!
Nagi says
Perfect Sharyn!!
Kylie Patman says
Delicious and super easy
Nagi says
Thanks so much Kylie – N x
Aatika Patel says
Hi Nagi,
I’ve accidentally bought vegeta seasoning powder would it still work in place of vegeta stock powder?
Thank you.
Nagi says
YES! It’s the same thing, the labels differ from country to country 🙂 N x
Aatika Patel says
Thank you so much for your reply ❤️
Michael Johnson says
Love this recipe thanks Nagi. Cooked it last night and having it again tonight. Who needs to freeze it when you can have it 2 nights in a row. Very tasty and so easy to make. Particularly like the flour in the rice method of making a sauce. fantabulous !
Nagi says
Woot! Great to hear Michael 🙌
Annette says
Thanks for this really easy, yummy recipe! I’m a pretty confident all round cooker and I’m loving your recipes. My husband and 18mo old loved it and for my little guy, to eat something new and love it, is a major win! thank you!
Nagi says
That’s the best compliment Annette!
Gwen says
Hello! Recent follower! Your lentil soup was amazing by the way!
With this recipe can I sub with coconut milk instead? My boys have milk allergies. Thanks!!
Nagi says
Hi Gwen, coconut milk will change the flavours, try lactose free milk 🙂
YvonneZ says
This looks yummy and I’m anxious to try it. What kind of cheese do you recommend?
Nagi says
Cheddar, tasty, Monterey Jack are all great options! – N x
Bronwen says
I just tried your baked chicken tenders and LOVED them, so eager to try this recipe! Do you think a boullion paste would work in place of the powder? I’m a huge fan of the umani flavor Better than Boullion adds.
Nagi says
Yes definitely Bronwen!!
Kathy Kendall says
Delicious! And you think of everything! My rice wasn’t done, so I did 10 more minutes with foil and it was perfect. Another “keeper” from you, thank you!
Nagi says
Sounds great Kathy, I’m so happy you loved it!
Rachael says
My kids 6&8 SMASHED this tonight!! Another winner! We’ve NEVER had a bad meal cooking all your delicious recipes Nagi! Thankyou!!
Nagi says
Wahoo! Winner winner chicken dinner!
Nan says
Hi Nagi, I made this as directed, using basmati rice, and a mix of fontina (1/3) and gruyere. Delicious! A big hit with my family Will definitely make again and my MD resident daughter who cooks once a week says this is next on her rotation. Highly recommended as are all Nagi’s recipes around here.
Nagi says
Oh that’s awesome Nan!
Pauline says
Thank you. Will definitely give it a try
Nagi says
Perfect Pauline!
Pauline says
Want to cook this, but what size cup do you use to measure rice? All other ingredients have cup and grams measurement. Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Pauline – I use a 250ml cup. I hope you love it!
Judith Kelly says
Made this for dinner last night and I have to agree, there will never be another casserole made with a can of soup in my kitchen! This was delicious and the instructions were precise. I look forward to each and every recipe that comes into my inbox from you Nagi. They are just amazingly good. Thank you once again, you are my “almost daily” go to for inspiration and great food!
Nagi says
Wahoo!!! You’re totally converted Judith!
Veronica says
This truly is my dream dish it’s easy to prepare and it tastes absolutely divine, I will be making this again for dinner tomorrow!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Veronica!!
Joanne says
Hi Nagi,
Just wanted to know if I was to add more vege i.e sweetcorn, peas, beans would I need to add more liquid?
Regards
Joanne
Nagi says
Hi Joanne, no it should be fine – N x
BRENDA says
I haven’t made it yet but I have a question-what kind of cheese did you use? It looks like mozzarella but I wasn’t sure so thought I’d ask. This looks delish as all your other recipes are. I’m also going to make the Asian beef with ramen very soon (I’ll leave a comment when I do)
Nagi says
Hi Brenda, tasty, cheddar or mozzarella would be perfect here! – N x
Judy says
Did anyone add fresh mushrooms to this with good results?
Nagi says
They would be amazing here Judy!