Chicken, broccoli, and cheese are foods my family agrees on. This cheesy rice casserole mixes them together in a dinner that we can enjoy together.
Jump to RecipeIt’s no surprise that I LOVE cheese. Seriously. Especially cheddar cheese. I will eat almost anything with cheddar cheese on it. So when I found this recipe for a cheesy rice casserole with chicken and broccoli smothered in cheddar cheese deliciousness, I just had to give it a try! And bonus, it’s a one-pan meal, so easy clean up as well.
Chicken is the one meat that everyone here can agree on. If you ask Ryan, he will say, “mmmm chicken is yummy.” And it’s one of the few types of meat that Tyler will eat most of the time. Broccoli is another thing we all agree on. And it’s green, so I like to get that in when we can. The boys still have a little trouble with rice sometimes because it’s a little harder to pick up, but they mostly ate the chicken and broccoli in this. And of course, we all agree on the cheese!

Cheesy Rice Casserole Step by Step
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion (diced)
- 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
- 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (chopped)
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
Preparation
For this meal, you will want to use a large cast-iron skillet with decent sides to it because it does start to get pretty full. Start by putting a bit of olive oil in the pan, and sautéing your chopped onion over medium heat.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season it with salt and pepper. Then add it to the pan with the onions and turn the heat up to medium-high to let the chicken cook through.

Once the chicken is cooked, push it to the side of the pan and add the rest of the olive oil. Then add the rice and saute it for a few minutes. I was a little skeptical of this step, I’ve never made rice this way, but it worked!

Add the chicken broth to the pan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat back down to a simmer, and cover the pan.

Cook the chicken and rice in the broth for about 10-12 minutes, covered, while stirring occasionally.
Add the broccoli to the pan and cover the pan again. Cook another 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli and rice are tender. Most of the broth will cook into the chicken and rice and evaporate.

Remove the pan from the heat. Mix about 1/2 cup of the cheese into the casserole, then cover with the rest of the cheese.

Cover the pan again and let it sit for a few minutes so the cheese can melt on top of the casserole.

Serve immediately! I know it doesn’t look too pretty, but trust me, this chicken rice casserole makes up for it in taste!


Recipe
Originally Published On: September 10, 2017
Last Updated On: July 31, 2023

Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion (diced)
- 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
- 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (chopped)
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a large pan, sauté onions in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat
- Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper
- Once onions soften, increase the heat to medium high and add chicken
- Brown the chicken and add the garlic
- Push chicken to one side of pan and add additional tablespoon of olive oil to pan
- Add the uncooked rice in the olive oil and saute it for a couple of minutes
- Add the chicken broth to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid
- Cook chicken and rice mixture, covered, for about 10-12 minutes
- Add broccoli and stir to combine
- Continue to cook, covered, another 8-10 minutes on low, or until broccoli and rice are both tender
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover with a lid, letting it sit for 1-2 minutes or until cheese has melted
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
More Cheesy Broccoli Recipes
- Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
- Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli
- Broccoli, Beef, and Potato Hotdish
- Skillet Tortellini and Broccoli Meal
- Mac and Cheese Bites with Pumpkin
- Veggie Pizza
- Garlic and Herb Cheese Fondue
- Chicken and Broccoli with Garlic Cream
- Veggie Tortilla Pinwheels Roll Ups Recipe
Other Chicken Casserole Recipes
- Spaghetti Casserole with Chicken and Cheese
- Easy Chicken Casserole with Herb Stuffing
- Chicken a la King
- Chicken and Spinach Alfredo Bake Casserole
- Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
- Chicken and Spinach Casserole with Cream Cheese
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Chicken a la Gurnham
- Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Other Rice Recipes
- How a Rice Steamer Has Saved My Sanity
- Chicken Fried Rice with Clear Onion Soup
- Simple Herbed Rice Side
- Instant Zatarain’s in the Rice Steamer
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Honey Garlic Chicken Over Rice Recipe
- Coconut-Turmeric Tilapia and Rice
- Salmon with a Bold Soy-Molasses Glaze over Rice and Vegetables
- Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
- Shrimp and Okra Bowl
- Shaggy Dog Sushi Roll Recipe
- How to Make the Best Philadelphia Sushi Roll at Home
- California Roll Sushi Recipe
- How To Make Homemade Sushi
- Crunchy Roll Sushi Recipe
- Easy Green Vegan Sushi Roll
- Chicken and Whole Grain Stir-Fry
I also love anything cheddar cheese relate, which makes it a good thing I live in a cheese state! This meal is totally up my alley!
I’ve never been but I would love to try the fresh cheese there!
Oh, this looks super yummy. I will definitely have to try this. I love trying new recipes!!
It’s a great meal and pretty easy to throw together, too!
This looks so good and easy to make. Adding it to my recipe list!
It’s definitely easy and tastes so good. It’s a great way to sneak green stuff in, too!
This dish is indeed a combination of my all-time favourites from chicken, broccoli to cheddar. I’m not so busy these days so I’d better follow your recipe and make myself a delicious dish right away. Thanks for illustrating in such detail!
I agree, there are so many great flavors that come together in this meal.
This is one of my family’s favorite meals. My kids are huge broccoli fans!
Broccoli is one of the greens that I can always get my kids to eat, too!
GIRL!!!! YES! This looks so good. It one that we make as well and it’s always a hit with our kids! Even my husband who isn’t a green food guy!
I’m not much for greens, either, but it works so well in this meal.
This looks so delicious! My gfs and I have a weekly girls night and we all make dishes, I’m gonna try this one on Wednesday!
That sounds awesome! We have a monthly Dinner Club with friends. We are all so busy with our kids and school that once a month is about all we can manage right now.
You are like my husband! He loves cheese ❤ 😀 I am definitely going to try this easy recipe, looks so delicious 😋😍
You can’t go wrong with a lot of cheese 🙂 At least, not for me!
I love eating chicken and broccoli. I usually use the Campbell soup mix called Broccoli and Cheese. But, I will have to try your recipe for something new! It looks so delicious!
I haven’t tried it with the condensed soup, but those usually don’t taste near as fresh as making it yourself.
I love a delicious meal where you can have it all, your protein, your green. I will definitely make this one, broccoli is the only veggie my kids love and can have every day.
Me, too! It’s easier to hide some of the good stuff from the kids when it’s all mixed into one dish!! 🙂
Ahh casserole is such a cold weather meal! And the cheesier the better, in my opinion!
We love casseroles, soups, and all things slow cooker when the weather turns colder. Of course, in south Texas, we don’t get a lot of cold weather, so we cram them in when we can!
Broccoli and cheese is one of my favorite combos! This recipe looks so yummy.
I agree! Broccoli is one of the few greens I’ll eat almost any way it’s made, but covering it with cheese is definitely the best for me, too!
This would be a great meal to have on hand after baby comes! Definitely book marking this onen
Oh yeah, it would be great for that! It doesn’t take long to throw together and one pan of it lasts my husband and me a few days with the leftovers!
Love healthy meals like this one! This rice casserole chicken broccoli sounds so delicious and super easy to make. I’ll give it a try!
We love this meal, and that it incorporates some healthy foods! I hope you like it, too!
Wow, it looks so fresh and yummy. You can’t go wrong with chicken and cheese. Love it. Thank you so much.
I agree, chicken, cheese, and broccoli are all things that go over really well in our house.