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California Broccoli Chicken Cheese Wild Rice Casserole with Buttery Cracker Crust

A creamy, cheesy casserole with tender chicken, broccoli, and nutty wild rice, topped with a buttery Ritz cracker crust. Perfect for make-ahead meals.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: Casseroles, Chicken, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Casserole Base
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb) boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth low-sodium preferred
  • 1 tablespoon California extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/4 cups wild rice blend or long grain white rice, but wild rice adds more texture
  • 3 cups fresh broccoli florets cut into small pieces
  • 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup from a can or homemade
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream full-fat recommended
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded from a block, about 8 oz
Optional Seasonings
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Topping
  • 1 cup Ritz crackers about 16 crackers, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Method
 

Prepare the Chicken and Rice
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  2. In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  3. Add the chicken broth, olive oil, and wild rice blend to the same pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes (if using white rice, cook for 6 minutes).
  4. Add the broccoli florets on top of the rice without stirring. Cover again and cook for another 9 minutes (or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed). If liquid remains, cook 5 more minutes covered.
  5. Remove the pot from heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Do not stir.
Assemble the Casserole
  1. Gently stir in the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, optional seasonings (thyme and garlic powder), and half of the shredded cheddar cheese.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly on top.
  3. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Add the Topping and Finish Baking
  1. While the casserole bakes, mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter.
  2. After 15 minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle the cracker mixture over the casserole. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10 minutes, until the topping is golden and the casserole is bubbly.
  3. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 32gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

Notes

For frozen broccoli, thaw and pat dry before adding; it's already blanched so cook time remains the same. Shred your own cheddar from a block for the best melt—pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy. To make ahead, assemble the casserole (without the cracker topping) and refrigerate for up to 2 days; add 15 minutes to the baking time and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. To freeze, assemble without topping, freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake as directed. The cracker topping should always be added during the last 10 minutes of baking to stay crisp. For a lighter version, use reduced-fat cream of chicken soup, low-fat milk, and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

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