Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli in a brown serving dish with a brown and white towel behind all on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli

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.

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It’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.

Large cast-iron pan with oil and diced onions cooking over a gas stovetop

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.

Large cast-iron pan with onions and chicken sautéing over a gas stovetop

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!

Large cast-iron pan with cooked chicken and onions to one side and uncooked rice to the other over a gas stovetop

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.

Large cast-iron pan with onion, chicken, rice, and broth over a gas stovetop

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.

Large cast-iron pan with chicken, onion, rice, broth, and broccoli over a gas stovetop

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.

Large cast-iron pan with chicken, onion, rice, broth, broccoli, and cheddar cheese over a gas stovetop

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

Large cast-iron pan with chicken, onion, rice, broth, broccoli, and cheddar cheese with a cover on top over a gas stovetop

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

Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli in a brown serving dish with a brown and white towel behind all on a wooden surface (vertical)

Recipe

Originally Published On: September 10, 2017

Last Updated On: July 31, 2023

Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli in a brown serving dish with a brown and white towel behind all on a wooden surface

Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli

Chicken, broccoli, and cheese are foods my family agrees on. This casserole mixes them together in a dinner that we can enjoy together.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
broccoli
|
cheese
|
chicken
|
rice
Servings: 4 servings
4.75 from 4 votes

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)

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
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Nutrition Facts
Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
Amount Per Serving
Calories 656 Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Fat 33g51%
Saturated Fat 14g70%
Cholesterol 131mg44%
Sodium 1041mg43%
Potassium 919mg26%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 44g88%
Vitamin A 955IU19%
Vitamin C 63.9mg77%
Calcium 470mg47%
Iron 2.4mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.

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30 thoughts on “Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli”

  1. 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!

  2. 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!

  3. 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!

  4. 5 stars
    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!

  5. 4 stars
    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.

    1. 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!

  6. 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!

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