This ain’t your momma’s Broccoli Rice Casserole. With nary a can in sight, this homemade, oven-baked broccoli risotto is topped with panko crusted chicken for the ultimate one-pot meal.
Think you can’t make an easy casserole dinner without a can of cream-of-something soup? Think again! My super yummy version uses risotto rice as its base so it bakes up creamy without adding any canned cream soup. Even better, you don’t need to precook any of your ingredients before combining them in the pan. You start with uncooked rice, broccoli and even your chicken and it will all bake up perfectly in 30 minutes.
You’ll want to cook this in a large, oven-safe pan so that you can start the rice mixture on the stovetop before moving to the oven, then add the chicken for the final 20 minutes of baking.
We were actually surprised at how well this turned out. Its not as gloppy as some of the versions with creamed soup mixed in (I always found their texture off-putting) but it still has a creaminess to it. The broccoli is cooked without being mushy and the putting the chicken over the top gives it a beautiful, crispy exterior. It really is a lovely transformation!
If you give it a shot, let me know how it turns out. And if you’re a fan of easy, one-pan meals, be sure to download my FREE COOKBOOK and follow me on Instagram for more.
Baked Broccoli Rice Casserole with Panko Crusted Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Comfort Food
Description
This ain’t your momma’s Broccoli Rice Casserole. This homemade, oven-baked broccoli risotto is topped with panko crusted chicken for the ultimate one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup reduced fat milk
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 3/4 cup aroborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 medium crowns broccoli, cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
- 1 pound thinly sliced (or butterflied) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- cooking spray
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Position oven racks in upper and lower halves of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine chicken broth and milk in a large, microwave save bowl and heat for about 3 minutes, until boiling.
- Add oil to a large, oven safe pan or dutch oven over medium high-heat. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the hot broth mixture, broccoli florets and 3/4 teaspoons of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover pan and set on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise with parmesan cheese. Arrange chicken on a cutting board or sheet pan and top with mayonnaise mixture.
- After rice mixture has cooked for 10 minutes, remove pan from oven and stir well. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the rice mixture. Carefully lay chicken breasts over top of the rice mixture and sprinkle the entire dish with panko crumbs. Spray bread crumbs with cooking spray.
- Return pan to oven and bake, uncovered for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until rice and broccoli are cooked through chicken is cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden.
