This 20-minute One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice recipe is a delicious, quick, and easy dinner solution for your busiest nights!
Loaded with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and lots of broccoli and cheese, this One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice is a simple meal that the whole family will enjoy. Creamy and flavorful, this crowd-pleasing chicken and rice dish can be ready in just 20 minutes!
DINNER, MINUS THE MESS
One-pot dinner recipes are the unsung heroes of my household. Not only is this One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice recipe ready to serve in 20 minutes, but I can clean the whole thing up in 5 minutes or less. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
If you want more family-friendly chicken and broccoli recipes, then try Crock Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice or creamy Chicken Divan.
OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH ONE POT CHICKEN BROCCOLI RICE
- Easy Wedge Salad – This simple and delicious salad is a perfect side dish for creamy chicken and broccoli rice.
- Grilled Parmesan Garlic Bread – This bread is the perfect way to add a little crunch to this one pot meal.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken: You will need 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken. I usually buy a rotisserie chicken and call it a day.
Veggies: This one-pot rice recipe has garlic, onion, and, of course, broccoli florets.
Rice: This recipe works best with long-grain white rice.
Cheese: Add freshly grated parmesan, shredded mozzarella, and cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
Liquid: Cook the rice in chicken broth or chicken stock and milk.
HOW TO MAKE ONE POT CHICKEN BROCCOLI RICE
STEP ONE: Heat the oil in a skillet (with a lid) or a large pot over high heat. Add the minced garlic and one small, finely chopped onion to the oil and cook until they are translucent. Add the white rice and stir until translucent.
STEP TWO: Add the chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper. Place the lid on top and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cook the rice for 8-12 minutes or until it’s almost done.
STEP THREE: Add the shredded chicken, then place the broccoli on top of the chicken without stirring the pot. Replace the lid and continue to cook for another five minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the broccoli is just cooked.
STEP FOUR: Remove One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice from the stove and scatter all three kinds of cheese over the top of the dish. Replace the lid and allow the residual heat to melt the cheese while the rice rests for about 5 minutes. Once the cheese has melted, serve and enjoy!
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- I recommend using a rotisserie chicken for this recipe because it helps keep this a true 20-minute recipe.
- Brown rice does not work in this recipe as written, as it takes twice as long to cook than white rice.
HOW TO CHANGE UP ONE POT CHICKEN BROCCOLI RICE
This recipe is so easy and such a crowd-pleaser in my house that I tend to make little variations here and there to justify serving it back-to-back each week. The good news is that this recipe works with a variety of different vegetables! I often substitute broccoli for carrots or peas or both! You can also add asparagus, spinach, or even cauliflower. Depending on the density of the vegetables, you may need to adjust cook time or cut them into smaller pieces, but the recipe remains otherwise the same.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI RICE
Any leftover One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice can go into an airtight container and be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat in the microwave, spread the rice out over a plate or a shallow dish and cover it with a damp paper towel. This will help to keep the rice from drying out. Make sure to properly heat the dish all the way through before consuming.
OTHER ONE DISH RECIPES
- Sheet Pan Crispy Ranch Pork Chops
- Skillet Steak Bites with Potatoes
- Pecan Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- One Pan Chicken Stroganoff
- American Goulash
- One Pot Pad Thai
*This post was originally posted on 07/19/2016.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 small head broccoli cut into florets
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet with a lid OR in a large pot over high heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for 3 minutes stirring frequently until the onion is translucent. Add rice and stir until translucent.
- Add the chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Place the lid on the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 8-12 minutes (or until the rice is almost done).
- Add shredded over the rice chicken then add the broccoli on top. Don't stir! Place the lid back on the pan and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the broccoli is just cooked, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove from stove and take off the lid. Sprinkle all three kinds of cheese over the dish, place the lid back on again, and let everything sit for 5 minutes. The residual heat will melt the cheese while the rice rests. Serve warm.
Meghan says
The rice didn’t cook? I followed the recipe exactly as listed, but my rice isn’t cooked through.
any suggestions on how I can fix this as I don’t want to waste everything in the pot now.
Kylie says
This recipe sounds amazing but I’m really looking for a true one pot chicken dish. I was hoping to see somewhere that the chicken could be cooked with it as well. Since you have to cook the chicken separately so you have any similar recipes where it can all just be thrown into the crock pot? Im dying to try this ???
Audra says
This was the best chicken and rice dish I have ever had. My entire family asked me to make it regularly. I was glad there was left overs but that almost didn’t happen. So good!
April B says
Hello all, I just made this, but I added some stuff, cause if I don’t, he won’t get his veggies.
And I made it in a pressure cooker.
I added spinach, portobello mushrooms, fresh peas, and instead of just broccoli, I did the mix bag of fresh cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli.
Ohhhhh my. It was I wanna lick the plate delicious. Thank you, thank you for this. Best part, it took 38 minutes total including cutting up the veggies while the chicken cooked. And no heating up the kitchen, or funcky chicken cooking smell, just gooy yummy goodstuff.
Thank you for this, will be making it again over and over again.
Aubrey Cota says
Sounds great!! Thank you.
Lyndsey says
Family of 5 LOVED this meal! Delicious, easy, and cant wait to make it again!!! Thank you for another favorite recipe.
kim says
Cant you people read!
Jude says
Can you cook this in a crock pot?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Probably. We haven’t made it that way, but I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t. 🙂
Kate says
I made this on Sunday for our lunches for the week. It tastes amazing and was super easy! Thanks!
Cheryl says
This was super easy and delicious! While it did have decent flavor, I might try maybe a lemon rotisserie chicken, or instead of cheddar use pepper jack. But as I said, really good as is also.
Sara says
My family enjoyed this one-skillet dish. I already had some thawed chicken breasts so I cubed those, seasoned with salt & pepper and sauteed in butter & olive oil. I removed the chicken and then started the recipe directions in the same pan. I needed quite a bit more liquid – when I went to add the broccoli there was none left. Also, I used about 1/2 of the cheese called for and it was plenty cheesy.
Just wanted to share my thoughts. Thanks for the recipe – I think it’ll go into the rotation!
Kayse says
Will it turn out bad if I use water instead of chicken stock? I have every ingredient besides that.
Julie @Real Housemoms says
You could use water, but the dish won’t be as flavorful.
Cynthia Mott says
Maybe add a bouillion cube or part of one dissolved for some added flavor (or at least a little salt). I look forward to making this it sounds great and looks easy. I wish more people would make it then comment! I certainly understand having questions, but Julie how do you not go crazy with all the not so smart questions? How can people have the time to ask a question, but not take the time to read the entire recipe and your suggestions. For instance you took the time to note that brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice. I will comment again after I make it. Thanks for your time and the recipe.
Cheryl says
I agree
Lorrie says
Does NOT work with brown rice 🙁 timing was all out of whack. Really disappointed. Will try again with white
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Brown rice has more than double the cooking time of white rice. You’d need to precook your brown rice if you’d like to use it in this recipe.
Kim says
I’m not sure how to cook long grain rice in 8 minutes. It took me 20 minutes to cook the rice. I used long grain brown rice. Should I have used white rice?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Brown rice definitely takes longer to cook than white rice.
Dawna says
Can I use brown rice? If so how does the cooking time change since brown rice takes much longer to cook? I don’t use white rice at all.
Becky says
When you say grated parm cheese, do you mean the shredded cheese in the package or in the can you use on spaghetti?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Hi Becky. You’ll want to use grated/shredded fresh parmesan cheese so it gets all gooey and melty in the dish. 🙂
Catie says
Do you use minute rice or just regular rice?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Regular long-grain rice
Alli says
I only have Instant Rice – Think that will work ok? Should I pre-cook it instead?
Maggie says
In Step 2 it says to add the rice to the garlic/onion/oil mixture and cook until the rice turns translucent. I’ve never seen dry rice do that while sautéing. Does that really happen and about how long does it take?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Hi Maggie! The rice will not turn completely clear by any means, but it will get glossy and sort of see through-ish from absorbing the oil and heating. When my mom would saute her rice in butter with veggies to make Mexican rice, the same “translucent” look would happen. 🙂
Shirley Trites says
Do you cook the rice first?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
The rice goes into the skillet uncooked and cooks in the milk and broth.
Cindy Burrell says
This looks and sounds delicious and the best part is I don’t have to turn on the oven! I avoid my oven during the summer. This is a stove top casserole! Can’t wait to fix this! Thanks!
Ali says
I don’t see where to add the chicken.
Julie @Real Housemoms says
The chicken and the broccoli are added in step #3. 🙂