Ingredients
Ingredients
- 450 g cooked skinless chicken shredded; about 3 cups, thigh meat used for nutrition
- 500 g broccoli florets bite-size
- 450 g cooked white rice about 3 cups; not dry rice
- 40 g unsalted butter about 3 tablespoons
- 40 g all-purpose flour about 1/3 cup
- 600 ml whole milk 2 1/2 cups
- 150 g cheddar cheese grated, about 1 1/2 cups; divided
- 3 g fine salt about 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder about 3 g
- 40 g plain breadcrumbs about 1/3 cup
Equipment
- 1 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Steamer or microwave-safe bowl
- 1 Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
Prepare and cook
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Briefly steam broccoli for 3–4 minutes, just until bright green and slightly tender; drain thoroughly. Break up any clumps in the cooked rice.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking, and cook 3–5 minutes until the sauce lightly coats a spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in 100 g cheddar, salt and garlic powder until smooth.
- In the baking dish or a large bowl, gently combine cooked chicken, cooked rice, drained broccoli and sauce. Spread evenly in the 9-by-13-inch dish. Scatter remaining 50 g cheddar and breadcrumbs over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until bubbling and the center reaches 165°F (74°C). If the top browns before the middle is hot, cover loosely with foil. Rest 5 minutes before dividing into six portions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portionCalories: 534.1kcalCarbohydrates: 41.9gProtein: 34.4gFat: 24.2gSodium: 558.1mgFiber: 3.9g
Video
Notes
Video reference: Backyard Chef, published 2025-02-16. The demonstration combines cooked chicken, cooked rice and broccoli with homemade cheddar sauce, then bakes. Its sauce also uses broth, cream and Dijon, and its topping includes crackers and panko. This written version uses a simpler milk sauce and plain crumbs; follow its quantities.
Prep and cook times start with already-cooked chicken and rice. Use safely stored leftovers; preparing this casserole does not restart their storage clock. Thawed frozen broccoli can replace fresh after thorough draining.
Nutrition is estimated from ANSES Ciqual 2025 using cooked skinless thigh meat, cooked white rice, whole milk and cheddar, divided into six portions. Different chicken or cheese products change the values. Below-threshold values use half the threshold.
Illustrative cost assumptions, not live prices: cooked chicken $5, broccoli $2.50, rice $0.75, milk $1, cheddar $2, butter/flour/crumbs/seasoning $1.95 = $13.20.
Refrigerate promptly and use within 3–4 days, or sooner if the starting leftovers are older. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).
