What a great weeknight meal!  Casseroles are a magical thing. Everything is baking together in one dish. Hot and bubbly, with a golden brown cheesy top. What’s not to love about that?  My cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole will set you on the path to “Comfort Town”.

Not as traditional as most of the chicken, broccoli, and rice casseroles you may have encountered, I like adding mushrooms and a combination of yellow and English white cheddar to this dish.

Why an English white cheddar, you’re wondering? I’ve compared various white cheddar cheeses in the past, and English white cheddar is the best.

I’m fortifying the flavor of my poached chicken for this dish. This means I’m using the chicken poaching liquid to enhance the flavor. This is my Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Casserole.

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yields: 6 to 8 servings
Equipment:  1 (9 x 11 x 2) baking dish, mini food processor, chef’s knife, box grater, cutting board, meat-safe cutting board

Ingredients for the Poached Chicken:
1 quart of chicken stock, unsalted (poaching liquid)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground

Ingredients for the Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Casserole:
1 tablespoon of good olive oil
1 cup of onions, diced
1 pint of cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon of a Fresno chili (approx. 1/2 a Fresno chili, seeded and minced)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups of cooked white rice (Success, Boil-n-Bag Basmati rice, 2 packets, substitute brown rice)
2 1/2 cups of thawed frozen broccoli florets, dried and roughly chopped
3 cups of the poached chicken breasts, diced

Ingredients for the Cheese Sauce:
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted, plus 2 tablespoons for the topping
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly-ground
1 cup (8 ounces) Philadelphia whipped-style original cream cheese, room temperature (or substitute 1 cup sour cream)
2 1/2 cups of whole milk, heated
1 3/4 cups of English white cheddar, freshly-grated
1/4 cup of yellow cheddar, freshly-grated
2/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, freshly-grated, reserve 4 tablespoons for the top

Instructions:
Spray a 9 x 11 x 2 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large saucepot, over medium heat, add 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (in a single layer), dried thyme, Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth, enough to cover the chicken. Once the liquid comes to a boil, turn down the heat to a low simmer and cover. This process should take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes.

While the chicken is poaching, start with the boil-in-a-bag rice. Follow the instructions on the box. Once the rice and water are brought to a boil, boil for 8-10 minutes. Remove the rice from the bag and transfer it to a large bowl; set it aside.

The chicken should be opaque in color and have an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and transfer it to a plate. Next, dice the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Transfer the diced chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Next, in a large sautè pan on medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the diced onions, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms, minced Fresno chili, and dried thyme, and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes. Continue to sautè until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are nicely browned. Finally, add the minced garlic and broccoli florets and continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the broccoli, mushroom, and onion mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add to that the cooked rice and diced (cooked) chicken. Toss all the ingredients together and set them aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions for the Cheese Sauce:
In a 3-quart saucepan,  over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter. Add 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt and whisk. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture turns blonde in color. Start by slowly whisking the hot milk in about 3 tablespoons at a time, until smooth and combined. Continue by slowly adding the remaining hot milk and whisking until the sauce thickens.

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, switch to a wooden spoon, and continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

First, add the cream cheese, and stir until smooth and combined. Next, add the grated Parmesan, white, and yellow cheddar cheese, and stir to combine. Transfer the cheese sauce to the large bowl containing the chicken and broccoli mixture, and stir to combine.

Pour everything into a 9 x 11 x 2 greased baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan cheese over the top—dice 2 tablespoons of butter into tiny cubes. Take the tiny cubes of butter and *DOT the top of the casserole.

Bake for 25 minutes or until completely heated through. Turn the broiler to the ON position and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

There you have it, my Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Casserole.

Notes:
1) Note: Make sure the frozen broccoli florets are completely thawed. Transfer the broccoli florets to a large plate lined with a paper towel and pat them dry as much as possible. Transfer the florets to a cutting board and give them a rough chop. Place into a bowl and set aside.

2) *DOT: a food process involving the placement of small bits (butter) and/or pieces of food to evenly distribute particles over the top that are to be melted or absorbed.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.