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One Pot Souper Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice. Like broccoli cheddar soup meets risotto, but easier, and quicker to make. Similar to a cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole, but made all in one pot rather than a baking dish. This is made entirely in one pot and in under 35 minutes with very minimal prep. Grab some chicken, rice, broken spaghetti pasta, spices, fresh thyme, and fresh broccoli. Cook everything together on the stove, then mix in everyone’s favorite, cheddar cheese. Simple, but SO GOOD, and a dinner we can all love.
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Alrighty, I just returned to Colorado from over a week away. First to New York for work. Then to Miami to celebrate Easter with my family in the warmth and sunshine. It was such a nice trip that ended far too quickly for me.
My family has actually been traveling around as well. Going from Florida to the Caribbean, then back to Florida.
The point here is that we’ve both been doing a lot of traveling. And as you might guess, both of our fridges and pantries are looking a little empty.
We’ve eaten out quite a bit while traveling. So I knew when we all got home last night that dinner needed to be fast.
Thankfully I have a freezer full of already prepared meals, so I just grabbed dinner from there. We had last week’s honey balsamic chicken, then added some rice.
But this recipe is one that would work perfectly on a night like last night, or really any busy weeknight. I always have these ingredients on hand!
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Yellow onion
- Salted butter
- Fresh thyme leaves (and any fresh herbs you have on hand like parsley, etc.)
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Basmati rice
- Dry broken spaghetti or orzo
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Broccoli florets
- Whole milk or milk of choice
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Details
This is so great because it’s all cooked on the stove and in one pot. Simple!
Cook the chicken with an onion. Then add a mix of spices: fresh thyme, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Now add the butter, rice, and broken spaghetti pieces. The broken spaghetti (or you can easily use orzo), is kind of the secret here, so I don’t recommend skipping it.
It’s just so good!!
Mix in the broth and broccoli, let the rice cook, then add a bit of milk to make everything creamy.
At this point, I take the pan off the heat and mix in the cheese until very creamy. Top with any fresh herb and serve!
Do you see how simple? We just love this recipe, and it’s a great dinner to keep on rotation. It’s wholesome and comforting, plus a family favorite!
Looking for other easy dinners? Here are some favorites:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sheet Pan Chicken Gyros with Feta Tzatziki
Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
Lastly, if you make this Souper Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 – 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1/2 cup dry broken spaghetti or orzo
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup whole milk or milk of choice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot, set over medium heat, combine the olive oil, chicken, and onion. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the butter, thyme, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Mix in the rice and pasta, cook until golden and toasted, 2-3 minutes. 2. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is mostly cooked.3. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the milk. Add the cheese, then remove from the heat. Stir until creamy. Serve warm with additional thyme and black pepper.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Loved this recipe!! I added a bit more liquid than the 3 cups, but my burner runs hot so it boiled off too fast before it could fully absorb! I added the broccoli when the rice was almost cooked through so it was nice and crisp. Has those Panera vibes and honestly is just comfort in a bowl! Highly recommend!
Hey Taylor,
Fantastic!! 🌴🍌 I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you! xT
This reminds me of another one of yours with zucchini instead of broccoli. May have to top this one with everything bagel seasoning too!
Yum!! Love that idea, Laura! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
This was a tasty comfort food that gave me an opportunity to use up two cooked chicken breasts from another dinner. I did add 4 cups of broth instead of three since I could see that the recommended amount with that much rice and orzo wouldn’t be enough to completely cook the rice (as mentioned by other reviewers) as well as a full cup of milk for additional creaminess. I had to smile when I read Melissa’s comment below asking that recipe developers (not just HBH) give more realistic times for preparation and total time to make a dish (which I’ve commented on several times before). You told her to use the prep time as a guide, which I do — I multiply it by two or three to get to realistic time for me ;-).
Hey Helen,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a hit! Sorry to hear this took longer than expected! xx
Followed this recipe to a tee and it came out perfectly. I think next time i’ll add some roasted mushrooms too. Another winner Tieghan, thanks!!
Hi Elyse,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
Made this for a friend that just had surgery. It was so good and such a comfort meal! I did use more chicken broth and added another cup of cheese on top:)) Thanks Tieghan! Love your recipes!!
Hey Donna,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad it was delish! Have a great weekend:) xx
Really good. Loved it. Should I have rinse the basmati rice first? Thank you.
Thanks so much Matt! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this dish! I never rinse my rice:) Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Recipe was a hit with the family! Even my picky eater loved it. Will plan to make recipe again.
Love to hear this Brooke! Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing with your family:) xT
Can this be prepped ahead and frozen/reheated? Any recommendations?
Hey Kate,
I haven’t tested that with this recipe, my only concern is that it would become mushy. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This is delicious comfort food at its best; and its so easy. This recipe made a lot for just my husband and myself so I froze the leftovers. I am sure it will be a wonderful, fast meal when we need. Another great and reliable recipe. Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Shari,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! xT
I made this for dinner tonight. Very good said 2 of guests who do not like broccoli! I will make it again and was quick and easy.
Hey Donna,
Happy Wednesday!! 🍉🍓 Thanks a bunch for testing out this recipe, I’m so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
This is delicious!!! Really, really good. I appreciate the many great recipes I’ve found here and have great respect for the work involved in the creation and sharing of these recipes. However, I am getting so tired of recipes giving 10 minutes to prep time. Do most people buy pre-prepped ingredients? I don’t know but I imagine not. So, who can chop onion and broccoli, cut the chicken, shred cheese, and measure all the other ingredients in a mere ten minutes? It takes that long to preheat a good heavy pot to cook this in. My apologies HBH.. I love this site, your socials, and most of all, your recipes. You are not alone in making recipes seem so much quicker than they are. I just wish SO many recipe providers would get real with the time it takes to make these meals. All that said… this took me, an oldish and experienced home cook, a little more than an hour, and that’s still a quick-ish meal on a weeknight, particularly a good homemade meal that is also delicious! So thanks for another great one that the whole family enjoyed. 😀
Hi Melissa,
Happy Wednesday!! 🍉🍓 Thanks a bunch for testing out this recipe, I’m so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! Sorry to hear this took you longer than expected, I think it’s always important to use the prep times as a guide:) xT
this recipe is perfect for when you need a comforting, home-cooked meal that comes together quickly! this reminds me of a fancier version of the rice-a-roni my mom used to make! the texture that the spaghetti adds is marvelous, and i love all the flavors. i definitely should’ve gone with a full sodium chicken broth or added more salt, but i will be making this again!
Hey Sasha,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! xT
I agree. I always just double the time and I’m definitely not a novice cook.
My husband and I thought it was good. Definitely needs the kick of spice. I used what rice I had on hand…not sure what variety it is, but I followed the directions and it was still crunchy-ish. So next time, yes there will be a next time, I will add a little more broth. My kids didn’t love it because they just don’t get it, but that’s ok. Prolly will half it and just me and the hubs eat it next time! I am looking forward to having some for lunch tomorrow and adding some hot sauce too!! 😋 yumm! Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Hey Kirsten,
Great!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try, so sorry to hear it wasn’t a hit with the kiddos! Let me know if you make it again! xT
I found the prep time of 10 min correct for me. Loved the recipe. Thanks!
Hi Jen,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! xT
She literally just said her kids didn’t love it though.
Delicious! I added an extra cup of broth because I found the rice still crunchy after 3 cups were absorbed. Quick and easy for family dinner.
Hey Lauren,
Wonderful!!😃 I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your comment, so glad it was a winner! Sorry to hear about the rice!! xx
I made this with basmati rice (didn’t have requested rice) and chopped linguine (didn’t have spaghetti). Kept everything else the same. It was delicious. So easy and very good comfort meal. Will be making this again!
Hey Caitlyn,
Wonderful!!🌴🍍 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, love to hear that it turned out well! xx
Easy to prepare and very good. Love the combination of Thyme w/ the cheesy rice!
Thanks so much Ellen! So glad to hear that this dish was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it:) xT
My kids don’t like broccoli. Or rice. And they’re sick of chicken. But for some reason they plowed through two massive helpings of this! Adding it to the dinner rotation. Thanks 😊
Hey Kelly,
Lol too funny! So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xT
Looked forward to this and was a bit disappointed. Rice was still not quite done with suggested timing. Needed more time & thus mor broth. Next time I wouldn’t put the broccoli in until much later as it was way too done upon completion. Thought it was kinda bland & just ok. Sorry, but our party of 3 all felt that way.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. What kind of rice did you use? Let me know if I can help with anything! xx