{"id":7050263,"date":"2026-08-28T18:15:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T18:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/budget-food\/chicken-broccoli-casserole-budget-bytes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T18:15:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T18:15:37","slug":"chicken-broccoli-casserole-budget-bytes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7050263","title":{"rendered":"Chicken Broccoli Casserole – Budget Bytes"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Chicken Broccoli Casserole is the ultimate easy comfort food, and this version keeps things extra simple by cooking everything (yes, even the orzo) in just one pot. Tender chicken, nutritious broccoli florets, and perfectly creamy orzo come together with cheddar cheese to create a cozy, flavorful casserole without the fuss. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, this budget-friendly casserole is ready in 30 minutes and leaves you with hardly any cleanup. My daughter gobbled it up, and my husband didn\u2019t complain about all the leftovers either!<\/p>\n

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All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen<\/a> to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.<\/em><\/p>\n

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A Quick and Cheesy One-Pot Dinner<\/h2>\n

Our chicken and rice casserole<\/a> is a reader favorite, so I wanted to create another easy option, this time swapping the rice for one of my favorite small, quick-cooking pasta shapes, orzo! I season the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika and brown it in butter and olive oil, then give the orzo a two-minute toast before adding broth and milk. The seasonings add warm, smoky flavor, and the milk and butter make the sauce creamy and<\/em> rich. The orzo also thickens the casserole as it simmers, so I don\u2019t need to make a roux or add any canned condensed soup.<\/p>\n

You can never have enough cheese in a casserole like this, either! I give this cheesy chicken broccoli casserole a double hit of cheddar by stirring half into the sauce and sprinkling the rest on top. I also use one of my favorite budget veggie shortcuts, frozen broccoli, for a pop of green and some extra nutrition, making this casserole a complete meal on its own.<\/p>\n

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  1. Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces. <\/strong>I aim for roughly 1-inch pieces, which are easy to eat and spread evenly throughout the casserole. I\u2019ve found that anything much smaller can become dry because the chicken continues cooking as the orzo simmers. The pieces don\u2019t need to be perfect, but keeping them close in size helps them finish cooking at the same time.<\/li>\n
  2. Keep the heat medium-low and watch for sticking. <\/strong>Once everything is in the pan, I keep the heat at a gentle simmer so only a few lazy bubbles break the surface. Give everything a good stir every minute or two, running your spoon across the base and right into the corners. Those tiny pieces of orzo naturally sink and love to hide in those spots! The milk can also scorch or split if the pan gets too hot, so if the bubbling becomes fast or noisy, turn down the heat and stir again.<\/li>\n
  3. Shred the cheddar from a block.<\/strong> I prefer freshly shredded cheddar because it melts more smoothly into the sauce and over the top. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking ingredients that can keep it from melting quite as evenly. A block is also often cheaper per ounce, and you can grate the four ounces needed here and save the rest for another meal!<\/li>\n
  4. Use the broiler for the best cheesy top. <\/strong>Yes, you can cover the pan with a lid to melt the cheese, but I MUCH prefer the broiled version! The lid works if your pan isn\u2019t broiler-safe, but the broiler gives the cheddar a bubbling, golden finish with deliciously browned spots and crisp orzo edges. It recreates the cheesy top of a classic oven-baked casserole without a full oven bake. Broilers work quickly, so watch the casserole closely and remove it after 3-5 minutes, or as soon as the cheese reaches your preferred doneness.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

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    Skip cooking the raw chicken and use about 3 cups of chopped or shredded cooked chicken<\/a> instead. It\u2019s a great way to use chicken you\u2019ve already prepped for another meal, or you can grab a rotisserie chicken when you need dinner on the table fast. Stir it in when you add the cheese, then continue with the recipe as written. The cold rotisserie chickens are cheaper than the hot ones at my store (and they may be SNAP eligible!), so check the refrigerated deli case first.<\/p>\n

    Want to leave out the chicken? Skip it completely for an easy vegetarian version, similar to our broccoli cheddar orzo<\/a>. This will make about 2-3 generous main-dish servings or 4 smaller side servings. To bulk it up, stir in a drained can of white beans or chickpeas near the end, or add frozen peas with the broccoli.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Chicken Broccoli Casserole<\/h2>\n

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    \n Cost <\/span>$8.75 recipe \/ $2.18 serving<\/span>
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    This Chicken Broccoli Casserole recipe is a complete 30-minute meal with seasoned chicken, creamy cheddar orzo, broccoli, and a golden cheesy top.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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