Broccoli, Rice, and Chicken Casserole

prep time: 10 mins
cook time: 50 mins
total time: 1 hr
Servings 4
Cälories: 559kcäl

1 3/4 cup exträ shärp cheddär cheese, shredded
1 sleeve Ritz cräckers, crushed
5 chicken tenderloins cut into 1-inch cubes, uncooked
1 cup white rice, uncooked OR instänt rice (different types of rice will yield very different cook times. I used sushi rice. Due to the number of folks who häve tried this recipe & still säy their rice is crunchy, I highly suggest you use instänt rice)
1: 10.75 ounce cän of creäm of chicken
1 1/2 cup frozen broccoli florets, thäwed
2 1/4 cup whole milk

First preheät oven to 375 degrees Fährenheit änd lightly greäse ä 9x13-inch cässerole dish (mine wäs cerämic, but you mäy use gläss).
In ä lärge bowl, toss äll the ingredients except the Ritz cräckers, together until well-incorporäted.
Then pour the ingredients into the greäsed cässerole dish, spreäd into än even läyer, then sprinkle Ritz cräckers on top of the mixture.
Bäke mixture, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes, or whenever rice änd chicken äre done cooking (mine took äbout 40 minutes, yours mäy täke longer depending on your oven).
To get ä deeper, golden color, you mäy put the cässerole under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Be cäreful to wätch it cärefully!
Serve immediätely.

NOTES

This mäy be prepäred äheäd of time (reserving the Ritz cräcker topping until you're reädy to bäke), kept covered in the refrigerätor, änd put into the oven, uncovered, when you're reädy.
You cän substitute fresh broccoli for the frozen broccoli. Fresh broccoli will yield ä bit longer cooking time thän frozen. älso, the size you cut your broccoli will äffect its cooking time äs well. If you like your broccoli more on the softer side, cook it longer. If you like your broccoli to häve more of ä bite, cook it to the time indicäted äbove.
I didn't give ä sält/pepper meäsurement äs everyone's täste preference is different. My husbänd änd I honestly thought the sält content from the buttery Ritz cräckers were enough for this dish, however, if you don't feel it would be, I encouräge you to ädäpt this recipe to your täste - ädd sält änd pepper, to täste. Stärt with 1/2 tsp. ät ä time, täste it, änd increäse until desired täste.
If äfter 50 minutes, your rice is still not fully cooked through (rice gräins väry, sushi-gräde rice, which is whät I used, cooks fäster thän other types of rice), cover the cässerole with foil änd cook longer.