Are you looking for the perfect casserole to take to a friend that just had a baby? Or perhaps you’re in the third trimester and need a casserole to freeze for postpartum. My friends, I’ve got you covered. This is one of my favorite dishes – The Best Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole for New Moms!

(Thanks again to Megan, from A Dash of Megnut, for creating this recipe exclusively for Mother Rising readers! Nom Nom!)

The Best Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole for New Moms

This classic broccoli chicken and rice casserole is a perfect choice for new moms. Not only is it a crowd pleaser, but it freezes well for future use (see surviving the baby apocalypse).

Oh, and guess what? This recipe is gluten free and can easily be made vegetarian. Hooray!

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole Ingredients

Pull up this recipe next time you’re at the grocery store and load up on the following ingredients:

• chicken stock
• sour cream
• milk
• dijon mustard
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• paprika
• salt
• thyme
• black pepper
• pre-cooked shredded chicken breast
• long grain white rice (cook it before making this recipe!)
• broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
• shredded cheddar cheese

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole Instructions

This is a pretty simple, yet tasty recipe. Here are the instructions!

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, chicken stock, milk, dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine until smooth.
4. Add cooked shredded chicken, broccoli, cooked white rice, and 1 1/4 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until combined.
5. Add chicken mixture to the baking dish and spread evenly. Top with remaining 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Place aluminum foil over the baking dish and bake at 400F for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes without the foil, until the cheese is bubbling.

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole Freezer Instructions

Wanting to store this broccoli, chicken and rice casserole in the freezer for a friend or the baby apocalypse postpartum? Check out these freezer cooking instructions.

• To make ahead, prepare the dish up until baking. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking.
• For longer storage, you can freeze before or after baking. If you’re storing the baking dish in the freezer, cover with plastic wrap then foil, or place the dish in a freezer safe bag.
• You’ll want to thaw the dish for about 30 minutes before placing it in the oven to prevent the dish from breaking.
• Alternatively, to save space in the freezer, you can add all of the ingredients to a large gallon-size freezer safe bag and place it in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, you can place the ingredients in a greased baking dish and bake.
• If making this recipe for a new mom or when stocking the freezer before baby comes, consider preparing in a disposable aluminum foil trays. These disposable pans come with tops which are perfect for writing the directions for baking or reheating right on top of the lid. Plus, no dishes to clean and return!

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole Tips and Tricks

Need broccoli, chicken, and rice casserole tips and tricks? I’ve got you covered!

• This recipe uses pre-cooked chicken breast. You can pre-cook the chicken any way you would like. Baking, poaching, and cooking in a skillet are all great options.
• This recipe is also a great way to use up any leftover chicken. A store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this meal even easier!
• To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the chicken in the recipe and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
• This recipe uses pre-cooked long-grain white rice, but brown or black rice also work well too. The reason I used pre-cooked rice is because different varieties of rice need more or less liquid than others and have varying cooking times. This way you can use whatever rice you would like!
• Quinoa is also a great option.
• If you’re short on time, try using instant rice to create this meal.
• While you could blanche the broccoli before baking, I don’t find it to be necessary. Cut your broccoli in small bite-sized pieces to ensure that it will cook through. No one wants to take a huge bite of broccoli anyways, so by cutting it in small pieces it also creates the perfect bite!
• If you’re looking for a little bit of heat, add one to two tablespoons of sriracha to the sauce. You could also top with sriracha when serving for dinner.
• This recipe is completely gluten-free and can easily be made vegetarian.

Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole for New Moms

Yield: Serves 8 People

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This classic casserole is a perfect choice for new moms. Not only is it a crowd pleaser, but it freezes well for future use. This recipe is gluten free and can easily be made vegetarian.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 lbs chicken breast, pre-cooked and shredded
• 3 cups long grain white rice, pre-cooked
• 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, chicken stock, milk, dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine until smooth.
4. Add cooked shredded chicken, broccoli, cooked white rice, and 1 1/4 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until combined.
5. Add chicken mixture to the baking dish and spread evenly. Top with remaining 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Place aluminum foil over the baking dish and bake at 400F for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes without the foil, until the cheese is bubbling.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Kitchen Basics Original Chicken Bone Broth, 8.25 oz (Pack of 12)
• 
  Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard, 10 oz Squeeze Bottle
• 
  365 Everyday Value, Organic Garlic Granules, 2.57 Ounce
• 
  Frontier Natural Products Onion, White Granules, 2.29-Ounce
• 
  McCormick Paprika, 2.12 oz
• 
  Sherpa Pink Himalayan Salt, 2lbs Extra-Fine Grain
• 
  365 Everyday Value, Organic Thyme, 0.67 Ounce
• 
  McCormick Salt and Pepper Grinders (Himalayan Pink Salt, Peppercorn Medley, Sea Salt, Black Peppercorn), 4 Count
• 
  Lundberg Family Farms Organic Rice, White Basmati, 4 Pound
• 
  Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish with Red Plastic Lid -13.2 INCH x 8.9inch x 2 inch
• 
  OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk
• 
  Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 442Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 733mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 39g