Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice
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This cheesy broccoli cheddar chicken and rice is the ultimate weeknight dinner that is easy to prepare and requires minimal preparation.
We have been experimenting with all things one pot over the last year and developing recipes that are simple and easy to make while reducing the amount of preparation and cleanup time.
One pot chicken and rice dishes have been in our weekly rotation and make for a delicious meal. This broccoli cheddar chicken and rice is packed with flavor and balanced with protein and vegetables.
Liz & Tyler’s Tips for the Best Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice
- Be sure your skillet or pot is deep enough. This recipe has a lot of ingredients and you’ll need a large pot to hold all of them! This is our favorite pot for one pot meals.
- Wait to add the broccoli! The broccoli gets added towards the end so it doesn’t overcook and get mushy.
- Use freshly grated cheese. Avoid using parmesan cheese from the green container… the fresh stuff tastes so much better!
Ingredients:
substitutions
Olive Oil: You can substitute this with avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: You can substitute with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or even chicken tenders.
White Rice: Brown rice should work as a white rice substitute in this recipe, but it will take longer to cook, and you will need to use more broth.
We don’t recommend using cauliflower rice because it can be very soggy, but you can stir in frozen or fresh cauliflower rice at the very end to add in extra veggies.
Broccoli: You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli. If you buy pre-cut broccoli florets and they’re large, you may want to give them a rough chop first.
Carrots: Use a grater or a peeler for shredding the carrots, this makes it easy to shred carrots in no time.
Broth: Broth and stock are interchangeable, so you can use beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. We like to use low sodium or salt-free broth.
Dried Spices: Feel free to use a tablespoon of fresh parsley or thyme instead of dried.
Cheese: The cheddar and Parmesan cheese adds so much flavor to this recipe. You can omit it, but we don’t recommend it! Feel free to substitute with dairy free cheese or nutritional yeast if you’d like.
Milk: We have not tried this with dairy-free milk but almond milk, oat milk, or your milk of choice should work well.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, then reduce heat to medium and sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the broccoli, carrots, chicken broth, rice, and dried spices, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the rice has cooked and the liquid is reduced, discard the bay leaf.
- Stir in the milk, cheddar and parmesan cheeses.
- Stir over low heat for one to two minutes more until heated through.
storage
Fridge: In an airtight container, refrigerated leftovers will last for up to 4 days.
Freezing: You can freeze the fully cooked meal for up to 3 months. Be sure to use freezer-safe containers. The rice may get a little mushy when frozen, but it will still taste delicious after you warm it up.
Reheating: You can reheat your meal in the microwave or in a skillet or pot on the stove. If reheating on the stove, lightly spray your pan with olive oil and cook over medium heat until everything warms through. If the leftovers seem too dry, add a splash of chicken broth or water to the pot if you’d like.
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in ¼ inch square pieces
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 cups fresh broccoli spears cut into 1 inch pieces 10 oz bag
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dry long grain white rice
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan.
- Add the chicken to the pan and saute for 8-10 minutes, until the edges start to brown. (The chicken doesn’t have to be completely cooked because it will continue to cook for at least another 15 minutes.)
- When the chicken has cooked, turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic to the pan with the chicken. Sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, chicken broth, rice, and dried spices to the pan. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make sure to stir the rice every few minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the rice has cooked, discard the bay leaf. Stir in the milk, cheddar and parmesan cheeses. Stir over low heat for one to two minutes more until heated through.
- Top with extra cheese, serve and enjoy!
