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My easy Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe is creamy, savory, and all kinds of delicious! Whether you are looking for a delicious holiday side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas or a quick and easy weeknight crowd-pleaser, this comforting casserole recipe is for you!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with chicken and broccoli, this is has been a favorite since I was a kid, and is STILL one of the best casserole recipes ever! Broccoli Cheese Casserole is a family favorite that will delight even the pickiest of eaters. Few can resist the delectable broccoli and cheese combo.
There are those certain casseroles that make a regular appearance on our dinner menu, and oven-baked broccoli swimming in chicken and cheese is one of those dishes.
Ingredients Needed for Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe:
- Chopped Frozen Broccoli – As the main feature of this recipe, broccoli is a must! After it’s done baking, this broccoli will be tender, flavorful and melt in your mouth.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – Use your own homemade version or the store bought version. You could also switch it out with cream of mushroom if that’s what you had on hand!
- Chicken Stock
- Cheddar Broccoli Rice & Pasta Blend
- Chicken Flavor Broccoli Rice & Pasta Blend
- Chicken Tenders – The smaller pieces of chicken cook better in the casserole dish.
- Salt & Pepper – and/or chicken seasonings
- Shredded Mexican Cheese – or shredded cheddar cheese
I use frozen broccoli and think it turns out best that way! I do recommend that you thaw the frozen broccoli and drain it well. Too much moisture is the enemy of this casserole.
Once you have the broccoli squared away, you just mix everything together and spread it in a baking dish! All the creamy goodness for this easy Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe will end up in the same baking pan.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole is easy to make, foolproof, and delicious, and what’s even better is that it can be made ahead! If I were you, I’d plan on making a double batch… make one for now and keep the other one in the fridge for tomorrow.
More Comforting Casseroles to Try Next:
- Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
- Taco Lasagna Casserole
- Meatball Sub Casserole
- Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Chili Dog Casserole
- Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x13 deep casserole dish
- Whisk
- can opener
- measuring spoon
- tinfoil
Ingredients
- 14.5 ounces chicken stock
- 10.5 ounces Cream of Chicken soup
- Knorr Cheddar Broccoli Rice & Pasta Blend (5.7 ounces)
- Knorr Chicken Flavor Broccoli Rice & Pasta Blend (5.5 ounces)
- 1 pound chopped broccoli, frozen and thawed
- 1-1/2 pound chicken tenders
- 1 TBS old bay seasoning (or chicken seasoning, like salt & pepper)
- 3 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
- Fresh Parsley, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In the bottom of the casserole dish, add the chicken stock and cream of chicken soup mix.
- Use a whisk to combine.
- Add in both rice and pasta blends, again whisking until combined and all of the contents are wet.
- Pour the chopped frozen broccoli on top of the rice mixture, covering the entirety of it.
- Lay the raw chicken tenders on top of the broccoli layer in the way that best fits all of the chicken.
- Dust the top of the chicken with old bay seasoning (or your choice of general chicken seasoning).
- Spread the shredded cheese over the top of the chicken, cover with tinfoil.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley (optional) and serve right from the casserole dish.
Do you defrost the broccoli? And can you use chicken breasts instead of tenders?
Hi Jodi. Yes, you can defrost the broccoli and use chicken breasts. If you use chicken breast, you will probably have to bake it a little longer:)
I use chicken breasts but boil them and then break in to pieces like pulled pork. I use fresh broccoli also and mushroom soup. Chicken broth from cooked breasts.
Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing
Can you use the casserole lid instead of foil?
Please answer this.
If it is a lid that is meant to bake, like glass, that should work just fine. However, I have only used foil. Baking it covered to keep the moisture in is what’s most important:)
This looks amazing. Dinner tomorrow. I’m so ready to try this 😋😊🥦🐓🧀
Hi! I am wanting to try this!!! It looks Delicious!!!
Whenever I went to get the Knorr rice and pasta blends I could not find it. Could you just add a bag of each one for each flavor or one of each flavor just alternate the rice and pasta?
Thanks in advance for your help with this problem.
Hi, this looks amazing. If I wanted to just use one bag of rice what would I need to change to the rest of the recipe?
Can you use fresh broccoli ?
My oven is on the fritz. Can this be converted to making it in the crock pot?
I’m getting ready to try it.
Is this something that would freeze ok?
Can you omit the rice and pasta? I need for it to be diabetic friendly.
Thanks.
My husband and I made this last night for our family. All 4 of my kids loved it! Thank you for a new family dinner. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that, Shila! Thank you so much for the kind feedback:)
The 45 minutes didn’t even come close to cooking the chicken at all still raw. Make sure you check your chicken. It smells amazing can’t wait to try it.
Did you use full-size chicken breasts as opposed to smaller, thinner chicken tenders by any chance?
Is there a way to substitute the rice & pasta to be diabetic friendly?
Could I make this in the slow cooker? If so for how long and should I make any adjustments?
I only have cream of cheddar on hand would this work ok for this?
PLEASE SIGN ME UP TO RECEIVE ALL OF YOUR RECIPES!! I TRIED DOING THIS AT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE; HOWEVER, IT WILL NOT TAKE MY INFORMATION FOR SOME REASON!! I LOVE EVERYTHING I HAVE SEEN SO FAR!!