1-Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2-Cut the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

3-Cook the chicken: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the chicken pieces until golden brown; remove chicken from the pot.

4-Cook rice: In the same pot, add 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 cup uncooked rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 6 minutes.

5-Cook broccoli with rice: Add 3 cups broccoli florets to the pot, cover, and cook for 9 more minutes until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

6-Let rice stand: Remove pot from heat and let the rice mixture stand covered for 10 minutes without stirring.

7-Mix ingredients: Stir in the cooked chicken, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup milk, ½ cup sour cream, optional seasonings, and half of the 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese.

8-Prepare casserole: Transfer the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese and cover the dish.

9-Bake covered: Bake covered for 15 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

10-Prepare topping: Combine 1 cup crushed crackers with 3 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle evenly over the casserole.

11-Bake uncovered: Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.

12-Serve: Serve warm.