Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Name: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter, divided; 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning; Salt & pepper; 2 ½ cups chicken broth; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 1/4 cups white long grain rice; 2 cups fresh broccoli florets; 10.5 oz. can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup; ½ cup milk; ½ cup sour cream; 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)

Description

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole is a classic comfort food dish perfect for busy weeknights. Made with cream of mushroom soup, fresh or rotisserie chicken, broccoli, rice, and topped with cheese and a delicious buttery Ritz cracker topping, this is one old-fashioned dish you’ll make again and again!

Ingredients

Scale

4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Salt & pepper
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups white long grain rice
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
10.5 oz. can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
½ cup milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9 by 13″ casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Dice chicken into bite-size pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
3. In a large pot melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.
4. Add chicken broth to the pot and scrape the bottom to deglaze. Add olive oil and rice and bring to a a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the broccoli and cover again. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from heat but leave covered for an additional 10 minutes without stirring or removing the cover.
7. After the 10 minutes add the chicken, soup, milk, sour cream, garlic powder, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese to the rice and broccoli. Stir to mix.
8. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and top with an additional 1 cup of cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, crumble Ritz crackers and mix with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
10. Remove casserole and uncover. Top with cracker topping and return to oven, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes.
11. Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze up to 3 months whole or in single-serve portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.

You can also make this recipe ahead of time. Assemble the casserole (without cracker topping) up to 2 days in advance and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Extend the cooking time by 15 minutes if cooking a chilled casserole. You can freeze the assembled casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bake as listed above.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 55
Category: main course
Method: baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 493
Sugar: 3.8 g
Sodium: 1529.5 mg
Fat: 20.6 g
Carbohydrates: 36.2 g
Fiber: 2.8 g
Protein: 40.1 g
Cholesterol: 102.5 mg