Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole comes together fast thanks to a rice-and-broccoli shortcut and a quick homemade cheese sauce—no canned soups needed!
Serve this dish with fruit salad, an easy Italian salad, or cucumber salad.
The Casserole I’ve Loved My Whole Life!
I don’t usually crave casseroles, but this one’s the exception. My mom made this dish all the time growing up, and it was one of my favorites (right up there with this cheesy tuna pasta).
Her version used cream of chicken soup, but it’s not something I love to use. So, I made a homemade cream sauce from scratch, and it totally changes everything!
Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole is full of flavor and easy to make. With a few shortcuts, you can have this casserole ready in 30 minutes or less!
Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients and some helpful tips—full recipe below.
- Broccoli: Boil with the rice to save time. Dry well so the sauce stays thick.
- Basmati white rice: Other types of rice won’t work the same.
- Cooked chicken: Rotisserie or leftover grilled chicken works great.
- Flour: Whisking it into melted butter for a minute adds depth and flavor to this Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole.
- Cheese sauce: Keep over low heat for a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Panko breadcrumbs: You can also use crushed Ritz crackers!
Quick Tip
Sharp vs. mild Cheddar – Sharp has a stronger flavor. Freshly shredded cheese melts better and keeps the casserole from getting greasy.
Storage
Leftover Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole?
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven or microwave in short bursts, stirring between.
- Freeze: Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Comfort Food Favorites
- Crockpot Cowboy Casserole with a melted cheese topping
- Green Bean Casserole with a delicious cheese sauce
- Quinoa Enchilada Bake with sweet potatoes, corn, and black beans
- Hawaiian Haystacks creamy chicken over rice
- One Pot Creamy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole
Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole skips the canned soup and uses a quick homemade cheese sauce, tender chicken, rice, and broccoli, all topped with a buttery crunchy topping.
Ingredients
- 4 heaping cups fresh broccoli cut into small pieces (2 florets; about 11 ounces)
- 1-1/2 cups basmati rice other varieties of rice don’t work here
- 3 cups cooked chicken pieces like rotisserie, cut into small cubes
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups 1% milk see note 1
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth; I like Swanson chicken stock best
- 2 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese freshly shredded, divided
- 1 cup fat-free sour cream or regular sour cream
- 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard see note 2
- 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Salt and pepper
Topping
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs see note 3
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for 2–3 minutes or until water runs clear. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt the water. (I add 1 teaspoon salt to every 4 cups water.) Once boiling, add bite-size chopped broccoli and boil for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, pull out the broccoli and set it aside to completely dry. (I put it on paper towels.)
- Return the water to a full boil, then add the rinsed rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for exactly 5 minutes (do not reduce temperature). Taste to ensure rice is tender; if not, cook 1 more minute. Drain rice in a fine-mesh sieve. Pour rice in an even layer on the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Add broccoli on top once it’s completely dried. (Wet broccoli will water down the sauce.)
- Chop the chicken to get 3 cups. Add right on top of broccoli and rice.
- Sauce: Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, gradually add in flour while whisking constantly to form a thick paste. Whisk for 1 minute, then gradually add 1/2 cup of the milk, continuing to whisk constantly. Gradually add 1/2 cup chicken stock while whisking constantly. Add another 1/2 cup milk, then the remaining 1/2 cup stock, and the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until completely smooth. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of cheese and whisk until completely smooth. Add sour cream and whisk until smooth. Stir in the chicken bouillon powder, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.) Stir in the poppy seeds.
- Pour the sauce over everything and spread to evenly coat. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the sauce. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the panko and toast it, stirring constantly, until it’s light brown. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cheese. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Remove and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I use 1% milk for a lighter sauce. Use 2% or whole milk for extra creaminess. Avoid skim or plant-based milk.
Note 2: Dijon adds tang, but you can reduce or skip it if you’re not a fan.
Note 3: Crushed Ritz® also works. Panko is crunchier than regular breadcrumbs and usually found near the breadcrumb or Asian section.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at 350°F or microwave in short bursts. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 364mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you freeze this?
Did I miss it in reading the recipe? What temperature should the oven be set to?
Hi – I was wondering if this could be made without the poppyseeds, and if so, what you’d sub for it.
It looks yummy, I just hate buying ingredients that I don’t use regularly.
Thanks!
Yes you can leave out the poppy seeds and it will be fine 🙂
This is my kind of dinner!
This looks like total comfort food! Loving it.