Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake

Seared chicken, a real cheese sauce & a panko-parm crust — the crisp-top answer to a soft-and-bland bake

Serves 4–6 · 30 min

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1½ lb boneless chicken thighs, chunked · salt · pepper
3 cups cooked long-grain rice (day-old is ideal)
2 Tbsp butter · 1 onion, diced · 2 garlic cloves · 8 oz mushrooms (optional)
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched (or peas)
Cheese sauce
3 Tbsp butter · 3 Tbsp flour · 2½ cups milk
1½ cups sharp cheddar · 1 tsp Dijon · salt · pepper · pinch nutmeg
Crunchy top
¾ cup panko · ¼ cup parmesan · 2 Tbsp melted butter

What you need

1½ lb boneless chicken thighs, chunked · salt · pepper

3 cups cooked long-grain rice (day-old is ideal)

2 Tbsp butter · 1 onion, diced · 2 garlic cloves · 8 oz mushrooms (optional)

2 cups broccoli florets, blanched (or peas)

Cheese sauce

3 Tbsp butter · 3 Tbsp flour · 2½ cups milk

1½ cups sharp cheddar · 1 tsp Dijon · salt · pepper · pinch nutmeg

Crunchy top

¾ cup panko · ¼ cup parmesan · 2 Tbsp melted butter

Sear the chicken. Oven to 400°F. Season the chunks and sear them hard in the butter until browned and cooked; set aside. Soften the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the fond.
Make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook 1 min (a roux), then whisk in the milk to a smooth sauce. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar, Dijon, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Combine & season. Fold the rice, chicken, mushrooms, onion, and broccoli into the sauce. Taste and season — this is the layer that makes it not-bland. Spread in a buttered 9×13.
Crust & bake uncovered. Toss the panko, parm, and melted butter; scatter over the top. Bake uncovered 20–25 min until bubbling and deep golden (broil 1–2 min to finish).
Rest. 10 min, so it sets and scoops clean.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Sear the chicken. Oven to 400°F. Season the chunks and sear them hard in the butter until browned and cooked; set aside. Soften the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the fond.

2. Make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook 1 min (a roux), then whisk in the milk to a smooth sauce. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar, Dijon, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

3. Combine & season. Fold the rice, chicken, mushrooms, onion, and broccoli into the sauce. Taste and season — this is the layer that makes it not-bland. Spread in a buttered 9×13.

4. Crust & bake uncovered. Toss the panko, parm, and melted butter; scatter over the top. Bake uncovered 20–25 min until bubbling and deep golden (broil 1–2 min to finish).

5. Rest. 10 min, so it sets and scoops clean.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.