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
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
