Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole with brown rice, broccoli and no canned soup makes one easy baked healthy chicken casserole from scratch.
Healthy Chicken Casserole
Who doesn’t love a combo of chicken and rice, right?! This healthy chicken and rice casserole is one of my older healthy casseroles I gave a makeover. Originally I used a skillet to pre-cook chicken, a pot to cook rice and then a baking dish to bake casserole in.
Whoa-whoa-whoa, it’s 2019! We can do so much better and prepare chicken broccoli and rice casserole without canned soup, and in just ONE POT. One pot, my friends. One Lodge dutch oven pot, I love it!
Isn’t it a beauty?! Not mushy and yet moist, with moderate amount of animal products and with 1.5 lbs of broccoli. This healthy chicken chicken casserole will become a staple in your house.
You and yours will love it! So easy to make as well. So, “good-bye” Betty and “hello” Olena. Let’s do it!
P.S. Check out all of my one pot meals and sheet pan dinners if you are always in a hurry like me. Also if you are a fan of chicken and rice and have an Instant Pot, try my Instant Pot chicken and rice.
How to Make Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Preheat large dutch oven on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat.
- Add chicken, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add rice and stock, stir and bring to a boil. Lay broccoli on top and do not stir, cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, add yogurt and green onion, stir. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake until cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Tips and Substitutions
- I like to use brown jasmine or basmati rice because grains stay separated once cooked. But long grain brown rice is just as good taste wise. Short grain rice will yield in more mushy casserole but still delicious. Ukrainian in me would use what I have on hand.
- I have not tested this casserole recipe with wild rice or white rice. My gut tells me, it won’t work.
- Dutch oven cooks food evenly in a cast iron pot. You need it to make this recipe and many others, trust me!
- I used organic low sodium bouillon cubes to make vegetable stock. You can use from a carton as well, I just like the convenience.
- Plain or Greek yogurt with 2% and higher fat content is the best. Skim yogurt lacks flavor and will not make casserole as creamy.
- You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Chicken breasts are more dry than thighs. Use what you have or like.
- Broccoli comes out not mushy but rather soft. You can blanch broccoli separately and add before stirring with yogurt. If you are very specific about your broccoli.:)
- Cannot make this in slow cooker. For pressure cooker version, see my Instant Pot chicken and rice.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave or in the oven at 375 F for 15 minutes with a splash of water.
To freeze, fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in a fridge overnight. Reheat like above mentioned. Rice and chicken freeze well.:)
After reheating you might add a bit more yogurt to bring back creaminess. Sprinkle fresh herbs as they always add another layer of flavor.
More Healthy Casserole Recipes
- Healthy chicken broccoli casserole with pasta and no canned soup!
- Ground turkey quinoa casserole so good and simple.
- Turkey pasta bake with kale but no one will complain!
- Healthy Mexican casserole with layers of tortillas, meat and veggies.
- Mexican chicken and rice – one pan pantry staple deliciousness.
- Skillet enchiladas in one pot in 30 mins.
Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw boneless & skinless chicken breasts cubed or 1 lb chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups brown rice rinsed & drained
- 4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock low sodium
- 8 cups 1.5 lbs broccoli, chopped
- 1 cup plain yogurt fat 2+%
- 1/4 cup green onion finely chopped
- 1 cup marble or any hard 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 stock, stir and bring to a boil. Lay broccoli on top and do not stir, cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, add yogurt and green onion, stir. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake until cheese has melted. Serve hot.
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.
Notes
- I like to use brown jasmine or basmati rice because grains stay separated once cooked. But long grain brown rice is just as good taste wise. Short grain rice will yield in more mushy casserole but still delicious. Ukrainian in me would use what I have on hand.
- I have not tested this casserole recipe with wild rice or white rice. My gut tells me, it won't work.
- Dutch oven cooks food evenly in a cast iron pot. You need it to make this recipe and many others, trust me!
- I used organic low sodium bouillon cubes to make vegetable stock. You can use from a carton as well, I just like the convenience.
- Plain or Greek yogurt with 2% and higher fat content is the best. Skim yogurt lacks flavor and will not make casserole as creamy.
- You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Chicken breasts are more dry than thighs. Use what you have or like.
- Broccoli comes out not mushy but rather soft. You can blanch broccoli separately and add before stirring with yogurt. If you are very specific about your broccoli.:)
- Cannot make this in slow cooker. For pressure cooker version, see my Instant Pot chicken and rice.
Nutrition
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Hello and welcome to iFOODreal.
My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.