This chicken broccoli and rice casserole combines classic flavors for a quick and easy dinner. Chicken thighs are cooked with a creamy cheesy broccoli cheddar rice for a complete meal without all the cleanup.

I love a good chicken and rice dish, and this version incorporates plenty of cheese and fresh broccoli for a meal that’s a real crowd pleaser.

Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole Recipe | One Pot Chicken and Rice #chicken #rice #broccoli #casserole #dinner #dinneratthezoo #glutenfree

Chicken broccoli and rice casserole in a skillet garnished with parsley.

This chicken broccoli and rice casserole is a great recipe to have in your dinner time rotation – it’s quick to put together, all bakes together in one pot and uses ingredients that you probably already have in the house. And cheesy rice is always a family favorite!

A serving spoon in chicken and rice casserole.

How do you make Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole?

The chicken and rice bake together and then the flavorings are added in towards the end of the cooking process. No one likes mushy broccoli, so I lightly cooked it in the pan first, then added it back in at the very end to keep it bright and fresh tasting. The cheese also gets added later which makes for an ultra creamy rice.

I use a short grain rice because when it bakes in the oven it turns into a risotto-like consistency. You can really use any type of short grain rice that you find at the store, I go with an inexpensive variety and it works just as well as the more expensive arborio or carnaroli rice.

Chicken thighs served over cheesy broccoli rice.

Don’t you just want to grab a plate and start eating? Put this chicken broccoli and rice casserole on your dinner menu soon, you’ll be glad you did.

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4.86 from 34 votes

Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

AuthorSara Welch
This one pot chicken with cheddar broccoli rice combines classic flavors for a quick and easy dinner. Chicken thighs are cooked with a creamy cheesy broccoli cheddar rice for a complete meal without all the cleanup.
This one pot chicken with cheddar broccoli rice combines classic flavors for a quick and easy dinner. Chicken thighs are cooked with a creamy cheesy broccoli cheddar rice for a complete meal without all the cleanup.
Time
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs (medium sized)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 small yellow onion , finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups of short grain rice
  • 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth
  • 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place a large deep skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add the broccoli and 1/2 cup water to the pan. Cook the broccoli, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the broccoli from the pan and set aside; remove any excess water from the pan.
  • Heat the oil in the pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and cook until the chicken is a deep golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the chicken and repeat the process with the other side.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and add the onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add the rice, cooking for 1 minute. Place the chicken back into the pan.
  • Pour in the chicken broth and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Cover the pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until liquid has absorbed and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and place the chicken on a serving plate, cover with foil. Stir the broccoli and cheese into the rice mixture and place it back in the oven. Cook for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • Place the broccoli cheddar rice on the platter alongside the chicken. Garnish with parsley (optional) and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 741kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 1062mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 750IU | Vitamin C: 67.2mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 2.6mg

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe! Used the 1 cup parboiled rice mentioned in another review and seasoned the chicken to my liking. Rice was perfectly cooked and flavorful!! Thank you for sharing this easy recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was awesome! Used one cup long grain parboiled rice (not instant) and two and a half cups of chicken broth. Also used a bag of steamable broccoli florets and cooked them in the microwave for a minute less than needed. Added some thyme and that was it, followed everything else exactly. Came out perfectly moist with no extra liquid. Definitely in the rotation for when thighs are on sale!

  3. 5 stars
    This looks really tasty. I’m wondering if I can use bone-in chicken breasts instead of thighs (I don’t care for dark meat). If I used 2 bone-in chicken breasts and cut them in half, would this recipe still work? Would I need to increase or decrease the cooking time in the oven?

  4. Delicious! Used long grain rice and green beans because that’s what I had, and it was a hit! Maybe a bit too much liquid (just drained it at the end) and longer cooking time (due to the long grain rice?), but the spices and flavors were delish!!!!

  5. 5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe, we tried it last weekend, it was delicious! The chicken was tender, the rise was moist and the brocolli was eaten even by my daughter, which is quite the accomplishment. I will definitely try some of your other recipes, it seems they will change my whole parenting experience.

  6. 5 stars
    I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! It seemed like an awful lot of liquid to me so I reduced it a bit and it turned out perfect. Still very moist, but not mushy. Next time I’ll only use 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of broth (I used chicken stock from Costco since that’s what I had on hand) because it’s 4 servings for us and I can tell I’m going to have some leftover. Yummy!

  7. 5 stars
    I’m making this now. My hubby doesn’t care for broccoli so I’m using peas. It’s a bit fiddly in and out of the pot but not really fussed by that. Short grain rice – so I used risotto rice. Now I’m worried it won’t work as other users used regular long grain rice – oh well let’s hope it’s eaten!

  8. 4 stars
    Made this dish last night and it turned out great! I do suggest letting the broth/rice come to a boil on the stovetop before putting the covered pan in the oven. I also agree with one of the other reviews, it is a one pan dinner, however I used 2 paper plates to “hold” food while cooking the other ingredients…I recommend the dish…very tasty!

  9. 5 stars
    I just wanted to let you know I really enjoy this! I didn’t know what short grain rice is so I used medium but it still came out perfectly. Thank you!

  10. It’s cooking as I’m writing this comment. Love the concept, I added red peppers, mushroom & garlic for a few more veggies & deglazed the pan with white wine. Also, seasoned the chicken thighs with some smoked paprika. Really great recipe though even without any modifications! As far as people complaining about more then one pan, it actually isn’t, you may need a couple plates(which go into the dishwasher) but it really is a one pan supper! Thanks for sharing! It’s so comforting on a chilly evening.

  11. 5 stars
    Making this tonight with a few differences!
    ~Chicken legs instead of thighs.
    ~2 cups chicken stock, one can broccoli cheese soup, 3/4 cup milk for the liquid.
    ~Italian blend cheese instead of cheddar.

    Can’t wait to try it!

    1. Minute rice would not work for this recipe as the rice cooks for a fair amount of time in the oven, and I think minute rice would be really mushy in the end.

  12. 5 stars
    I just made this exactly as the recipe stated except I used Uncle Ben’s long grain rice. I cooked it in a cast iron skillet and added no additional cook time. Everything was cooked to perfection! I’ve even shared the recipe with friends. I love these easy recipes! Thanks.