One pot cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole cooks entirely in one deep skillet: onion and cubed chicken breast are browned, raw rice is toasted with garlic, then a can of condensed soup and broth simmer the rice tender. Broccoli and cheddar go in at the end. There’s no baking dish and no oven, unless you want a quick broil. It serves 4 in 40 minutes.
How to make it: Sauté the onion, brown the seasoned chicken to 165°F, then toast the garlic and rice. Stir in the soup and broth, bring to a boil and simmer covered 15 to 18 minutes. Fold in the broccoli, top with cheddar, cover 3 to 5 minutes until melted, and garnish with parsley.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pan: chicken, rice and broccoli cook in the same skillet.
- No precooked rice: raw rice simmers right in the creamy sauce.
- 40 minutes: faster than an oven-baked chicken and rice casserole.
- Cheesy and creamy: condensed soup and cheddar make the sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts: 2, cut into small cubes so they cook quickly and evenly.
Rice: 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice. It toasts in the pan before the liquid goes in.
Cream of chicken soup and broth: one 10-ounce can of soup and 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, the liquid the rice cooks in.
Broccoli: 2 cups of florets, cut small so they steam tender in a few minutes.
Aromatics: 1 small onion and 4 cloves of garlic.
Cheddar: 1 cup shredded, melted on top at the end.
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 tsp salt (for seasoning chicken)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (for seasoning chicken)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup rice (uncooked)
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (10 oz)
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 cups broccoli florets (cut into small, bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
How to Make One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
1. Soften the onion. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Brown the chicken. Add the cubed chicken breasts to the skillet. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to develop a light golden-brown color and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
3. Toast the rice. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ¾ cup of uncooked rice to the skillet. Stir to coat the rice in the garlic and chicken mixture, letting it toast slightly for 1-2 minutes.
4. Simmer. Pour in 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 2 cups of chicken broth. Stir until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add broccoli and cheese. Once the rice is cooked, fold in 2 cups of broccoli florets. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Cover again and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and the cheese is melted.
6. Broil (optional). If desired, broil on high for 2-3 minutes for a golden-brown top. Remove the skillet from the oven and let the casserole rest for a few minutes.
7. Serve. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and serve hot. Enjoy with a side of green salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables.
Should You Cook Rice Before Putting It in a Casserole?
Not for this one. The raw rice simmers in the soup and broth right in the skillet, so it soaks up all the flavor and you skip a separate pot. Toasting it for a minute or two first keeps the grains from turning sticky. Oven-baked casseroles that use raw rice need a lot more liquid and about an hour under foil; casseroles that start with cooked rice only need to bake until hot.
Tips for Fluffy Rice and Bright Broccoli
- Keep the lid on. The rice cooks in the steam; lifting the lid slows it down.
- Simmer gently. Medium-low heat keeps the bottom from scorching. Give it one stir halfway if your pan runs hot.
- Add the broccoli late. Florets added at the end stay green and tender-crisp.
- Cut the broccoli small. Small pieces cook through in the 3 to 5 minutes under the lid.
- Check the rice. If it’s still firm and the pan is dry, add a splash of broth and cook a few minutes more.
Variations
- Rotisserie chicken: skip browning raw chicken and stir in shredded cooked chicken with the broccoli.
- Ritz topping: scatter buttered, crushed crackers over the cheese and broil until golden.
- Frozen broccoli: thaw and drain it, then add it at the same point.
- Other soup: cream of mushroom or cream of celery in place of cream of chicken.
- Sharper cheese: sharp cheddar or a cheddar and Colby Jack mix.
Another chicken and broccoli casserole is Chicken Broccoli Stuffing Casserole, finished with Stove Top stuffing and cheese.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Add a splash of broth and reheat covered in the microwave or on the stove until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
A green salad, garlic bread or roasted vegetables round it out.
For an oven-baked take, try broccoli rice cheese and chicken casserole or creamy chicken rice casserole. For the slow cooker, make slow cooker Amish broccoli chicken noodles. More one-dish dinners: Swiss chicken casserole, teriyaki chicken and rice casserole and Ritz cracker chicken casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you cook rice before you put it in a casserole?
Not in this one-pot recipe; the raw rice simmers in the sauce. Some baked casseroles start with cooked rice.
What is the best sauce for chicken, rice and broccoli?
A creamy cheese sauce. Here it’s condensed soup and broth, finished with melted cheddar.
Can I use brown rice?
Brown rice needs more liquid and a longer simmer, so it isn’t a straight swap in this recipe.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Thaw and drain it first, then add it at the end.
Can I use leftover chicken?
Yes. Stir cooked chicken in with the broccoli so it heats through.
Do I need an oven-safe skillet?
Only for the optional broil. Otherwise any deep skillet with a lid works.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Toast the rice, keep the lid on and add the broccoli and cheese at the end. If you try it with a cracker topping or rotisserie chicken, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 chicken breasts cut into small cubes
- 1/4 tsp salt for seasoning chicken
- 1/4 tsp black pepper for seasoning chicken
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup rice uncooked
- 1 can cream of chicken soup 10 oz
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2 cups broccoli florets cut into small, bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the cubed chicken breasts to the skillet. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to develop a light golden-brown color and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ¾ cup of uncooked rice to the skillet. Stir to coat the rice in the garlic and chicken mixture, letting it toast slightly for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 2 cups of chicken broth. Stir until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Once the rice is cooked, fold in 2 cups of broccoli florets. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Cover again and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and the cheese is melted.
- If desired, broil on high for 2-3 minutes for a golden-brown top. Remove the skillet from the oven and let the casserole rest for a few minutes.
- Garnish with 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and serve hot. Enjoy with a side of green salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
