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Chicken Broccoli and Rice casserole is my number one go to meal. This casserole is JT’s favorite! He asks for me to make it at least once a week and I don’t mind at all because it is so easy to make! This recipe is Trisha Yearwood’s Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole, only easier. You’ll soon realize a theme of my life is trying to make everything the easiest way. In her recipe, she calls for you to cut and steam a head of broccoli yourself. Now that’s all good if you have time, but I don’t, so I use a frozen bag of broccoli. I also don’t follow her instructions exactly and I use less chicken.

Kel’s note: I’ll be writing this piece while I cook so I can explain how I make it better. Now let’s get cooking!

Step one: Get Ingredients Together

Alright so here’s a list of all the ingredients that you’ll need:

• ~2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (I use the frozen in the bag kind)
• A bag of frozen broccoli cuts (Not the florets- I’ll explain later)
• 1 1/2 cups of white rice
• 1 10-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ~10 ounces of shredded mild cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step Two: Make Chicken and Rice

I start by making the rice and chicken because they are two things that take the longest to cook. First, I take out two medium saucepans and one lid. I fill one if the pans about 2/3 full of water and put it on medium-high heat. In the second pan I put a tablespoon of butter, a pinch of salt, and also set it to medium heat. Then, once the butter has melted a bit, I put 3 cups of water into the pan to boil. Once they both come to a boil I put 2 chicken breasts in the pan with just water. And in the pan with butter I put 1 1/2 cups of white rice. I reduce heat on both, cook the rice for 20 minutes, and the chicken for 25 minutes.

Step Three: Combine the Mixture

While those are cooking I take out a large mixing bowl. I combine 1 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, about half of the cheddar cheese (about 5oz) and the salt and pepper (I go crazy on the pepper!).

Step Four: Make the Broccoli

In Trisha’s recipe she uses a head of broccoli, chops it, and steams it herself. I, unfortunately, don’t have the time to do all that so I just get the steam in the bag kind. I use the cuts rather than the broccoli florets because you want the broccoli to be in little pieces. It’s just easier to transfer the broccoli from the bag to the casserole. I just throw the bag in the microwave, heat it for 5 minutes (or however long your bag says), then I let it cool while the chicken is still cooking.

Step Five: Combine the Chicken, Rice and Mixture

When the rice is finished you can transfer that into the bowl with the mixture. Then, when the chicken is done you can shred the chicken or cut it into cubes. I prefer the cube because you can’t taste the chicken as much. When you are done cutting the chicken, mix it into the rice and mixture.

Step Six: Layer It

Take the mixture (that now has chicken and rice in it) and put it in a casserole dish. I like my Pyrex one because it has a lid for easy storage. Spread the mixture evenly in the dish. Then, sprinkle the broccoli cuts on top. Lastly, cover the broccoli with the remaining cheese.

Step Seven: Cook it and Eat

Set the oven to 350 degrees and cook the casserole for 40 minutes. Once it has finished cooking, take it out and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Use a spatula to cut and scoop the casserole on to your plate. And Enjoy!

I hope these steps were easy to follow and easy to read. If you have any questions about anything please let me know! Also if you make this please send me pictures!

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