Dump-and-bake creamy chicken rice casserole made FROM SCRATCH! Perfectly cooked rice, creamy cheesy sauce, juicy seasoned chicken. Unusually high liquid-to-rice ratio because 1) baked uncovered (brown chicken), and 2) creamy rice (rather than stodgy!). See Note 7 re SCALING recipe!
Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole
Servings 5 to 6 people
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
- 1 lb 500g chicken thighs or tenders (tenderloin), cut into 1.5cm / 2/3" pieces (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder or chicken stock powder (granulated bouillon) (Note 2)
- 1 tbs olive oil
RICE:
- 2 1/2 cups 625ml chicken broth / stock, low sodium
- 2 1/2 cups 625ml milk any fat %
- 1 1/2 cup 35g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder or chicken stock powder (granulated bouillon) (Note 2)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbs 30g unsalted butter
- 2 large heads broccoli cut into florets (Note 4)
- 2 cups 200g shredded cheese
GARNISH:
- 2 green onions finely sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (180°C/350°F fan/convection).
- Mix Chicken Ingredients.
- Heat chicken broth and milk until hot using any method (stove, microwave). Can combine together in a saucepan. (Note 5)
- Spread rice in 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" ceramic or glass baking dish. (Note 6)
- Sprinkle with flour, stock powder, and garlic.
- Add the hot chicken broth, stir until flour dissolved (some small lumps ok).
- Add milk, swish rice to spread out evenly.
- Spread broccoli on top, then chicken, then plonk butter on (anywhere).
- Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. (Might get some browned skin on the surface, that's ok)
- CHECK rice before stirring - should be JUST cooked (Note 7).
- Add half the cheese, stir through, being sure to get rice in the corners and edges of the pan. Should be creamy and quite loose (see video).
- Top with cheese, return to oven for 5 minutes until just melted.
- Sprinkle with green onion, if using, then serve!
Notes
Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole
Recipe Notes:
1. Chicken - boneless thigh or tenderloin best for juiciest chicken with required cook time. breast also works but not quite as juicy!
2. Stock powder - any brand or type of chicken or vegetable stock powder works fine here, has more flavor than salt which is needed for this shortcut recipe. I like using Vegeta (blue can, vegetable stock powder, sold in the herbs & spices aisle).
Crumbled bouillon cubes will work just fine too! They are essentially the same. The good ones crumble easily into powder. If it doesn't, dissolve in some of the hot liquid then add.
3. Rice - recipe works best with long-grain white rice. Will also work with medium or short grain, jasmine or basmati rice. The recipe, as written, won't work with: brown rice, wild rice, risotto, paella rice, quinoa.
4. Broccoli - use 2 big heads! About 5 heaping cups, 400g / 14 oz - it can even take more. Frozen broccoli can be used but thaw and drain off the excess liquid first (don't put frozen in because it will bring down the temp of liquids = uneven rice cooking).
5. Ceramic or glass pan - this is what I always use for good control of the heat. heavy duty cast iron or similar will also work. Flimsy/thin metal pans won't provide even heating as well and may affect how evenly the rice cooks.
6. Cooked rice - the rice should be cooked at 40 minutes. But if not, cover with foil and stick it back in the oven. Make sure you check rice before stirring - even cooking of rice depends on remaining submerged under the liquid.
7. Scaling recipe (slide scaler) - If you scale down to half, please use a smaller pan (say 8"/20cm). If you scale UP, it should scale up ok by about 25% in the same pan, but any more and I'd recommend using a separate pan to ensure rice cooks evenly.