This Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole combines brown rice with broccoli and chicken, no canned soup in sight. Best of all, this recipe uses just 10 ingredients and one pot!
Other chicken and rice recipes we love are this slow cooker chicken and rice and Instant Pot chicken and rice.
Using brown rice, omitting canned soup, and using yogurt makes this a delicious yet healthy chicken and rice casserole that the whole family will enjoy!
This recipe has actually been one of the healthy casseroles I’ve been making for years. However, initially, it involved searing the chicken in one pan, cooking the rice in another, and then combining them in a separate dish to bake in the oven. I was giving myself extra work (and dishes!) for no reason!
Now, I re-tested this one pot meal in 2024 and it uses minimal effort for maximum flavor!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No condensed soup: Unlike many chicken and rice casserole recipes, this healthy version contains no canned soup to avoid excess salt and preservatives.
- One pot meal: This casserole comes together in a single Dutch oven. Fewer dishes, less cleanup, happy me and you!
- It’s delicious: When combined with the creamy sauce, chicken, and cheese, even veggie-skeptics will find it hard to find fault with this healthy chicken and rice casserole recipe.
- It’s wholesome: It offers everything you need – lean protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates.
- Quick prep: This recipe requires under 20 minutes of hands-on prep and then is ready to go in the oven.
- Serve year round: It’s comforting and hearty enough for winter, yet light enough to enjoy year round.
Ingredients for Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole
This recipe requires just 10 simple ingredients, most of which are likely already in your kitchen.
- Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Chicken breast tends to to be more dry than chicken thighs, though use what you have.
- Rice: I like to use brown basmati, jasmine or long grain rice as the rice grains are a little more tough and remain as individual grains even after baking. Short grain rice will come out more mushy although still delicious. I haven’t tried this casserole with wild rice or white rice, so I’m not sure it would work well.
- Broth: Use low sodium vegetable broth, chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth. I used organic low sodium bouillon cubes to prepare vegetable broth.
- Oil: I used avocado oil, but any neutral cooking oil will work.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli cut into smaller pieces. However, you could also use frozen broccoli (add at the end).
- Yogurt: Use 2% and higher fat yogurt for the best results. Avoid skim yogurt as it lacks flavor.
- Cheese: Use marble cheese or any hard shredded cheese like cheddar, Parmesan, colby jack, etc.
- Spices: This casserole uses a combination of dried oregano (Italian seasoning would be even better), garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Green onion: For garnish.
How to Make Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Preheat large Dutch oven: First, preheat the oven to 400 F. Then on the stovetop preheat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a bit of oil.
- Sear the chicken: Add the raw chicken,oregano or Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rice and veggies: Add the rice and stock to the pan and stir, bringing to a boil. Then, add the broccoli over the top (do not stir), cover, and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Add the “sauce”: Remove pot from the oven, add the yogurt, chopped green onion, and stir well. Then sprinkle cheese over the top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt.
Broccoli Tip
Originally when I posted this recipe back in 2017, I cooked broccoli for the whole 40 minutes in the oven. Now when I re-tested this recipe in 2024, I experimented adding broccoli along with cheese, yogurt and green onion and just let it cook with “steam” while it’s resting, and it came out bright and crunchy! So you are welcome to do that!
Tips for Best Results
- Using the right pot: I use this Lodge Dutch oven and I love it. Cast iron Dutch oven cooks food evenly and retains heat better than other baking dishes. It also helps you make simple one pot meals from stovetop to oven.
- If you don’t have Dutch oven: A ceramic or glass baking dish could work. Though I imagine it would need longer to cook and a little more broth. I recommend cooking everything in the skillet, then transferring it to a baking dish. Make sure to wrap tightly with several layers of foil, and add an extra 10 minutes of baking time, and it may need more.
- To avoid mushy rice: Use only brown rice, and only varieties like jasmine, basmati or long grain rice.
- Cooking the broccoli your way: When baking the recipe as written, the broccoli will come out very soft. If you prefer broccoli with a little crunch, then add the broccoli florets at the same time as the yogurt.
- Using pre-cooked chicken: To save on prep time further, you can swap out the raw chicken for chicken leftovers. I recommend shredded chicken cooked in Instant Pot, baked chicken breast, or Instant Pot chicken breast. I would not reduce the baking time because brown rice needs time to cook, but you can skip sauteing the chicken.
Variations
Below are a few optional seasoning variations for this healthy chicken and rice casserole.
- Mayonnaise: You can add 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise for extra creaminess at the end.
- Mustard: Just 1-2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard is enough to add an extra dimension of flavor.
- Cream cheese: Like the mayonnaise, using just a little cream cheese can enhance the creaminess without adding too much fat to the dish.
- Other vegetables: There are several vegetables you can add to this healthy casserole recipe. These include sauteed mushrooms with chicken, peas, spinach, cauliflower, finely chopped carrots, celery, green beans, etc.
- Seasonings: Feel free to experiment with the dried herbs. You could also experiment with seasonings like Cajun seasoning or curry powder.
Serving Recommendations
This casserole is a hearty enough meal on its own. However, you could enjoy it alongside some cottage cheese bread or Greek yogurt bread, or a leafy green salad.
You could also serve this with additional veggie sides like sauteed zucchini, garlic green beans, baked asparagus, or roasted cauliflower.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Allow the chicken broccoli rice casserole to cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat: You can reheat smaller portions in the microwave or the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes or until warmed through. After reheating, you might want to add a bit more yogurt to bring back extra creaminess. Sprinkle fresh herbs too, as they always add another layer of flavor.
FAQs
The rice in this casserole comes out soft, not al dente, due to the nature of baking in one pot. That’s why I recommend to use any type of long grain brown rice. Short grain rice can become mushy. Also all ovens vary and your oven temperature can run higher, thus overcooking the casserole. Next time cook for 10 minutes less and go from there.
First of all, let me say that I have tested this recipe with 3 types of brown rice recommended in the recipe and never had an issue. If your rice comes out undercooked, it’s more likely due to the fact that you haven’t used a Dutch oven, checked on rice during baking or in rare occasions it’s the problem with rice itself. I recommend to add a bit more broth and bake for a bit longer.
Yes, although I recommend to add it at the very end along with cheese and yogurt. No need to thaw.
Not this recipe but check out my slow cooker chicken and rice recipe.
I haven’t tried this, though I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. When using cauliflower rice I’d recommend following the recipe but only baking in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Just keep in mind that while rice absorbs liquid, cauliflower rice releases liquid, so you likely won’t need as much broth.
More Healthy Rice Recipes to Try
- Healthy chicken broccoli casserole
- Turkey pasta bake
- Healthy Mexican casserole
- Mexican chicken and rice
- Skillet enchiladas
- Cilantro lime chicken rice skillet
- Healthy chicken wild rice soup
Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs cubed
- 2 tablespoons oil for frying
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning (I recommend)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups long grain, basmati or jasmine brown rice rinsed and drained
- 4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth low sodium
- 8 cups fresh broccoli florets chopped (8 cups)
- 1 cup plain yogurt fat 2%+
- 1/4 cup green onion finely chopped
- 1 cup marble or cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Preheat large dutch oven on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat.
- Add raw chicken, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add rice and broth, stir and bring to a boil. Lay broccoli on top and do not stir, cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. You can also add broccoli after baking for a crunchy broccoli.
- Remove from the oven, add yogurt and green onion, stir. Sprinkle cheese on top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes until cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in a fridge overnight. Reheat in a microwave or in the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes.
- Type of brown rice: Brown jasmine or basmati rice grains stay separated once cooked. Long grain brown rice is just as good taste wise. Short grain rice will yield in more mushy casserole but still delicious.
- Dutch oven: Cooks food evenly and I highly recommend to use it to make this recipe.
This casserole was not as flavorful or as creamy as I expected it to be, and there was too much rice. It turned out mostly rice. I used the right kind of rice, all the spices, etc. I found that my cast iron Dutch Oven was not large enough to fit all the ingredients so had to do part of the recipe on the stove top and then put it in a glass casserole dish to bake. The time was enough to cook the rice but the broccoli was over cooked. I did not want it raw and so did not put in in at the end. If I make another casserole like this again I will choose a recipe that has a cream sauce made with cheese and milk and calls for less rice as I think that would have helped.
Delicious! I did use a cast iron dutch oven and had to cook it all 10 minutes longer so the rice was cooked thoroughly. I also added a teaspoon of paprika for some extra spice. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
Can i use greek yogurt?
Yes.
Go ahead and add cherry/pear tomatoes and mushrooms too! This was a great recipe, Thanks so much!
Can you use low fat cheese? And non fat yogurt? Thanks!
Technically you can but it will be less flavorful. Also both might separate more.
I followed the recipe and at the 40 minute mark, my rice was still very crunchy and the broccoli was extremely soft. I took the broccoli out and had to cook the rice another 40 minutes.
And did you use a cast iron Dutch oven?
I made this last night and it was fantastic! I accidentally only used 4 cups of chicken broth, not 4.5 and I cut the garlic powder and oregano in half. The rice was cooked well (short grain brown rice) and still chewy, not mushy. The whole thing was moist without being too liquidy. Definitely making this again!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
It was pretty good. I cut the garlic powder to 1 tsp and the oregano to 1 1/2 tsp. I also switched the broccoli to asparagus and add fresh parsley because I had some to use up. I would make it again.
I don’t know if it’s this particular site but it was super frustrating trying to read the recipe. The page kept jumping around and I couldn’t scroll down . I was so irritated I was about to find a new recipe.
Glad you loved the recipe. Yes yesterday I noticed as well that the page kept jumping to certain spot. it has to do with external issues for ad companies. I did bring it up before and I will bring it up again.
Followed directions exactly. Rice was underdone and the broccoli was way over cooked. Not a win today.