Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Ingredient Notes:

Rice: I used a white parboiled rice, but feel free to use whatever long-grain variety you prefer (wild rice mix, brown rice...). Keep in mind: A brown rice may soak up more liquid from the casserole, so you may need to add some extra broth or evaporated milk.

Chicken: You can use shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey or canned chicken on place of the raw diced chicken breast.

Mushrooms: If you're not a fan, just leave them out! You can also use canned sliced mushrooms in place of the fresh.

Celery salt: I'm not sure how common it is to have celery salt on hand these days (I'm an old lady in many ways). If you don't have it, just leave it out. You can also add a few pinches of poultry seasoning instead, if you have that in your pantry.

Evaporated milk: If you don't have evaporated milk, you can also use regular milk. It will not be quite as creamy though, and the sauce splits a bit more easily, so be careful during cooking. Whole milk works out best, 2% or 1% milk still work though.

Broccoli: Frozen broccoli florets are a good substitute for the fresh. No need to defrost, just simmer them for a few minutes in the sauce as you would fresh broccoli. Frozen broccoli tends to be a bit mushier than fresh, so that's an outcome you're going to have to live with if you plan on using frozen.

Note: This recipe can be made gluten free if you use cornstarch instead of the flour called for, HOWEVER, please check ALL of your ingredients to make sure they are certified gf before using them (especially the chicken broth!).

Cooking Tips:

If you have lumps in the sauce: If you have lumps in the sauce, use a whisk to try and get as many out as you can.

To prevent lumps in the first place, make sure to stir in the flour until no more dry streaks are visible!

Make Ahead Instructions:

I make this casserole up to 3 days ahead of time.

Assemble the full casserole right up to the final baking step, let it cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then cover tightly with cling film and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To bake, remove the casserole from the oven, unwrap and let sit on the counter while the oven preheats.

Bake as directed in the recipe, though you may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time as the casserole is cold from the fridge.

Freezer Instructions:

You can freeze this casserole for up to 3 months.

Assemble the full casserole right up to the final baking step, let it cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then cover tightly first with cling film and then with aluminum foil. Label with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months) before placing in the freezer.

To heat from frozen: Remove the casserole from the freezer and unwrap. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly.

Serve this with:

A Chicken, Broccoli Rice Casserole is generally a full meal packed into one dish. That being said, I do enjoy adding something fresh to the meal.

We'll either have a leafy green salad with my Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing or Honey Mustard Salad Dressing. Or I'll serve a fruit salad for dessert - usually my Winter Fruit Salad because we mostly have this casserole during the colder months.