This tacky rooster and rice casserole is consolation meals at its greatest! Loaded with veggies and a tasty buttery cracker topping, it’s incredible.

Casseroles might have fallen out of meals vogue, however they undoubtedly have their time, place, and function. Particularly when they’re as scrumptious (and as kid-friendly!) as this one!

Straightforward From-Scratch Cheese Sauce

This delectably tacky casserole begins with a fast saute of carrots, onions and garlic in butter. I imply, that isn’t a completely dangerous method to begin issues off, am I proper?

Flour is added and cooked into the combination to make a roux which is able to thicken the sauce as soon as the broth is added.

After the cream sauce has thickened, a pair different key substances are added:

• cream cheese
• shredded cheddar cheese (grate your personal for optimum cheesiness!)
• salt + pepper + pinch of thyme

The cream cheese helps thicken the sauce and provides creaminess with out screaming: I AM CREAM CHEESE, HEAR ME ROAR. I promise you’ll hardly comprehend it’s there…but additionally, don’t depart it out. (This particular be aware included for all my cream cheese haters on the market). 😉

Casserole Add-Ins

Past the cheese sauce, the principle substances for this casserole are easy:

• cooked, chopped rooster (a rotisserie rooster works fabulously nicely right here)
• cooked rice (you should utilize white or brown rice…see the be aware within the recipe for find out how to measure)
• steamed broccoli (I do that the simple method within the microwave – particulars within the recipe)

I suppose if you’re utilizing a brilliant deep skillet that additionally occurs to be oven-safe, as soon as every thing is combined in, you may hold all of it on this cozy spot with out transferring to a different baking dish.

I prefer to switch every thing to a baking dish since my skillet is just too maxed out to additionally embody the buttery cracker topping.

Ritz Cracker Topping

Talking of buttery cracker topping, this pleasant component to the tacky broccoli casserole is so simple as it sounds: crushed crackers + butter!

The crackers don’t should be pummeled to smithereens. Coarsely crushed is what you need.

And whereas the cracker topping may be very scrumptious, you may depart it off when you’d like and bake the casserole with out it.

Make-Forward Suggestions

This rooster and rice casserole – with the creamy, tacky sauce and hearty veggies – is spectacular.

It may be made forward fairly simply! To take action:

1. Make the sauce and let it cool till lukewarm.
2. Add the rooster, broccoli and rice.
3. Cowl and refrigerate for as much as 24 hours.
4. Combine the cracker topping and refrigerate individually in a bag or container.
5. Add the topping when able to bake. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time to account for the chilled casserole.

I haven’t tried freezing this casserole, however assume it *may* work simply tremendous! Once more, I’d freeze the casserole and topping individually.

Consolation Meals at its Greatest

Not solely is that this casserole fantastic for household dinner night time, but it surely additionally makes a extremely nice family-friendly take-in meal for associates or household.

Serve it with a lightweight aspect dish, like a inexperienced salad or recent fruit, and you could have a extremely tasty meal.

Whereas it does require a little bit of prep and a number of extra dishes to scrub than your simple, 30-minute meal routine, this tacky rooster and rice casserole may be very a lot value it!

The leftovers are extremely tasty, too (i.e. tasty sufficient I needed to conceal them behind the fridge behind the buttermilk so I had a lunch to sit up for).

One 12 months In the past: Gingerbread Caramels
Two Years In the past: In a single day Cheesy Bacon Croissant Breakfast Casserole 
Three Years In the past: Cranberry Espresso Cake with Heat Vanilla Sauce
4 Years In the past: Make-Forward In a single day Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole 
5 Years In the past: The Greatest Spinach Artichoke Dip
Six Years In the past: Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Blossom Cookies
Seven Years In the past: Peppermint Bark White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake 
Eight Years In the past: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites {Primary Dish or Appetizer!} 
9 Years In the past: Chocolate Pots de Creme
Ten Years In the past: Rock Salt Roast Chicken {Principally The Greatest Roast Chicken Ever}

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Cook dinner Time: 30 minutes minutes

Whole Time: 30 minutes minutes

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup diced carrots
• ½ cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rooster broth
• 4 ounces cream cheese, reduce into cubes and softened
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of dried thyme
• Pinch of black pepper
• 3 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cooked white or brown rice (see be aware)
• 1 ½ cups coarsely crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve, 32 crackers)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 350 levels F. Evenly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and put aside.

• In a 12-inch deep skillet (if you do not have a deep skillet, use a 4- or 5-quart pot or saucepan), soften the butter over medium warmth and add the carrots, onion and garlic. Cook dinner, stirring usually, till the veggies soften a bit, Four to five minutes.

• Add the flour and stir to mix. Cook dinner for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Regularly whisk within the broth till clean, and deliver the combination to a simmer. Cook dinner for 1 to 2 minutes till thickened.

• Add cream cheese, salt, thyme and pepper. Proceed cooking, whisking till principally clean (it is okay for there to be a number of small lumps of cream cheese – you will not even discover them on the finish).

• Off the warmth, add the cheddar cheese and stir till mixed. Season to style with extra salt and pepper, if wanted (that is vital for taste)! Put aside.

• Mix broccoli florets and 1/2 cup water in microwave-safe bowl. Cowl and microwave for Three to Four minutes till broccoli is tender. (Alternately, you may steam the broccoli on the stovetop.) Drain extra water.

• To the cheese sauce, add the steamed broccoli, rooster and rice. Combine till evenly mixed. Unfold evenly within the ready baking dish.

• In a small bowl, stir collectively the cracker crumbs and melted butter. Unfold this combination evenly excessive of the casserole.

• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes till sizzling and effervescent and the cracker topping is calmly golden (if it browns too shortly on high, calmly cowl with foil and proceed baking till the casserole is sizzling all through). Serve instantly.

Rice: the rice ought to be calmly packed right into a cup – don’t cram it in there or the casserole shall be dry. In the event you’re the weighing kind, you’ll need about about 12 ounces of cooked rice, give or take a bit.

Serving: 1 serving, Energy: 364kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 11g, Fats: 24g, Saturated Fats: 13g, Ldl cholesterol: 58mg, Sodium: 776mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

Observe @MelsKitchenCafe on Instagram and present me the recipes you’re making from my weblog utilizing the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I like seeing all of the goodness you’re whipping up in your kitchens!

Recipe Supply: impressed by a recipe in Delicacies at Residence (modified virtually every thing about it – added cheddar cheese, diminished cream cheese, used broccoli and extra of it as a substitute of broccolini, and extra)