Simple One-Pan Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli And Rice Recipe For Really Busy Weeknights

Easy one dish meals are great, especially for busy weeknights when you need to keep kitchen mess under control. Not all cheesy chicken broccoli casseroles are winners, but this one most certainly is! It is delicious and easy and even kids love it!

This one-pan cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice dish is a simple and delicious dish which is easy to prepare after work. Not only is it a great dinner that is tasty and simple, it also makes great leftovers the next day.

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One-Pan Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Recipe

What it is

Bite-size chicken, rice and broccoli cooked together in one skillet in chicken broth, then finished with plenty of sharp cheddar melted over the top. The rice cooks in the same pan as everything else, so there is no separate pot of rice and only one pan to wash.

At a glance

• Serves: 6, according to Christy’s recipe card
• Time: about 35 minutes from start to finish
• You’ll need: boneless skinless chicken breasts, broccoli florets, extra long grain white rice, extra sharp cheddar, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper, low-sodium chicken broth, olive oil, yellow onion

Get the full recipe, amounts and method from Christy at The Girl Who Ate Everything →

Why this one stands out

• No canned soup. Plenty of chicken, broccoli and rice casseroles lean on cream of chicken soup; this one gets its creaminess from cheddar and the starch in the rice.
• The broccoli stays green. It goes in partway through, so it steams on top of the rice rather than boiling to mush.
• Weeknight speed. Around half an hour, which is quicker than most baked versions.

Tips

• Use long grain white rice. Brown rice and instant rice need very different amounts of liquid and time, so they will not cook properly in the same pan.
• Keep the lid on while the rice cooks. Lifting it lets the steam out and leaves the rice crunchy in the middle.
• Grate your own cheddar. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to stop it clumping and melts less smoothly.
• Swaps: chicken thighs stay juicier than breast; frozen broccoli works if you add it a little later and drain off any extra water.
• Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Add a splash of broth or water before reheating, because the rice keeps absorbing liquid.

You might also like

• Chicken broccoli casserole, the baked version
• Creamy and cheesy broccoli rice casserole, a meat-free side
• Tasty one-pot chicken and rice
• Sunday chicken and rice casserole
• Copycat Panera broccoli cheese soup

Thanks to Christy for this amazing recipe and featured image!