Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

The day after our trip to the Mennonite market and purchase of some beautiful broccoli, Tricia posted the recipe for Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and RiceCasserole on her Saving Room For Dessert blog and we decided it would be perfect for the weekly meal for our friends.  The original recipe makes eight servings but I wanted 12 servings split between two casseroles so I increased everything by 50% to get the recipe below.  I cooked everything together then split it between the two dishes.  For the original recipe and more great pics like the one below, please click on the above link to visit Tricia's blog.

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole - Adapted from Saving Room For Dessert

Ingredients for 12 servings:

For the casserole:

6 cups broccoli florets and tender stems, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, chopped fine

1½ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2½ cups long grain white rice 

5 small cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

3 cups milk 18oz (plus up to 1/2 cup additional milk if needed for desired consistency)

1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided 

¾ cup fresh grated Parmesan 

5 cups seasoned, baked chicken, diced (3½ large chicken breasts)

Everything is ready to go with Romeo in his usual place at me feet and in the way.

For the topping:

1 cup bread 

3/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease two 8x8-inch baking dishes; set aside.

2. Place a large colander in the kitchen sink and add the broccoli florets. Carefully pour half a kettle of boiling water over the broccoli. Toss gently, then pour the remaining boiling water over the broccoli. Repeat and drain while preparing the rice. (Larry blanched in boiling water for a minute and poured into a colander to drain and cool).

3. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and black pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 

4. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. 

5. Add the chicken broth and milk. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently until the rice is tender, about 10 to15 minutes. There should be some milky liquid remaining. If the rice absorbed all the milk and broth, add ¼ to ½ cup additional milk to the pot.

6. Remove from the heat and add the Dijon mustard, cayenne, 3 cups cheddar cheese and ¾ cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. 

7. Fold in the diced chicken and drained broccoli. Mix gently to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dishes and top with each with half of the remaining cheddar. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)

To prepare the topping:

8. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, 3/8 cup of Parmesan, melted butter and garlic powder.

9. Split the topping in half and sprinkle it over the two casserole. Bake until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. (Larry’s started out at room temperature and took about 30 minutes to bake).

I was concerned about the larger than expected amount of liquid in the unbaked dish but after baking it was just right.

This is my plate which included a nice salad.

Not surprisingly for a Tricia dish, we all thought it was delicious but agreed it could have used more chicken and broccoli so next time I’ll add 25% more of each.  Thanks Tricia for another outstanding meal.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

4/22/20 event date