High Protein Casserole Recipes: Chicken Broccoli Rice Bake

• Cooking the chicken before assembly gives the casserole a dependable starting point and avoids guessing whether thick pieces have finished evenly in the center of the pan.
• Cottage cheese, eggs, and broth create a loose binder that coats the rice without forming a dense cream layer, while sharp cheddar adds a browned, flavorful top.
• Using cooked rice keeps baking focused on setting the egg mixture and heating the assembled ingredients, making leftover rice useful for a planned dinner on busy weeknights at home instead of an afterthought.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced (680 g)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (2 g)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 4 cups small broccoli florets and chopped stems (360 g)
• 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice, cooled (475 g)
• 2 cups cottage cheese (450 g)
• 3 large eggs (150 g)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (120 g)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 g)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided (170 g)

Ingredient notes

• Use boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces so it cooks quickly and distributes evenly. Chicken thighs can replace it, with a richer texture and more fat as the trade-off.
• Choose full-fat or low-fat cottage cheese according to the texture you prefer. Blending it briefly makes the binder smoother; leaving it unblended gives the finished casserole visible curds and more variation in each bite.
• Cooked long-grain white rice gives separate grains that stay distinct after baking. Brown rice works as a trade-off for a nuttier flavor, although its firmer grains make the casserole less soft and cohesive.
• Fresh broccoli should be chopped into small florets with peeled stem pieces included. Frozen broccoli is convenient, but thaw and pat it dry first so excess moisture does not thin the egg mixture.
• Use shredded sharp cheddar rather than mild cheddar for a more defined finish with the same quantity. Monterey Jack melts more smoothly, but the flavor will be gentler and the browned top less pronounced.
• Chicken broth seasons the rice and loosens the cottage cheese mixture enough to coat every ingredient. Use a broth you enjoy drinking, since its salt level changes how much additional salt the casserole needs.

1. 1Heat the oven

   Set the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil, including the corners. Put the dish on a rimmed sheet pan if it is very full; the sheet pan catches any bubbling edges and makes transferring the hot dish easier.

2. 2Cook the chicken

   Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir for 6 to 8 minutes, separating pieces as they cook, until the exterior is opaque and lightly colored. Transfer the chicken and its juices to a large bowl.

3. 3Soften the broccoli

   Add the broccoli and two tablespoons of water to the same skillet. Cover for 3 minutes, then uncover and cook for 2 minutes more. The florets should turn bright green and lose their raw edge while remaining firm enough to finish in the oven.

4. 4Mix the binder

   Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and half the cheddar in a separate bowl until evenly combined. A few cottage cheese curds are fine. Taste the mixture only before eggs are added if you want to adjust seasoning; after whisking, move directly to assembly.

5. 5Assemble the casserole

   Fold cooked rice, chicken, broccoli, and the cottage cheese mixture together in the large bowl. Scrape everything into the prepared dish, press it into an even layer, and scatter the remaining cheddar over the surface. Keep the layer level so the center and edges bake at a similar pace.

   

6. 6Bake and rest

   Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is browned in spots and the center reaches 165°F. Rest the casserole for 10 minutes before cutting. That pause lets the rice absorb loose liquid and gives each square cleaner edges for serving or packing.

   

• Use cold cooked rice only if it separates easily with your fingers. Break up compact clumps before mixing, because a dense rice pocket will not absorb the cottage cheese binder evenly.
• Cut the broccoli smaller than you think necessary, especially the stems. Large florets can leave watery pockets and make portions harder to cut neatly after resting.
• Do not add the cheddar all at once. Mixing half into the filling distributes flavor, while holding half back creates the browned top that makes this casserole feel complete.
• Check the center rather than the browned corners with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it vertically through the rice layer, avoiding the bottom of the baking dish for a more useful reading.

Cut the rested casserole into six squares and serve each portion with a crisp lemony salad, sliced tomatoes, or roasted green beans. For a larger dinner plate, add a spoonful of salsa or a mustardy vinaigrette over the vegetables rather than another creamy side. Warm leftovers alongside cucumber spears and fruit for lunch. If you are feeding people with different appetites, keep the casserole portions equal and add extra vegetables or rice separately at the table.