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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.
I did not enjoy this dish like I thought I would. I found the spices too much, and overall it was quite salty. I don’t think I’d make it again. The rice was perfectly cooked though by 20 mins.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear this was not enjoyed! xT
I made this and it turned out well! I did about half a TBSP of the seasoning, cooked the rice for 25 mins & added finely chopped broccoli after 20 mins. The rice & orzo was cooked perfect! I didn’t add chicken but made chicken nugs for my little & I enjoy the crunchy addition.
Hi Ariel,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this dish was enjoyed and thanks a bunch for making it! xx
Quick and delicious dinner, the only thing I would change is cooking up 2 lbs of chicken. The rice and pasta were perfectly cooked after 20 minutes. I did have to add more milk and cheese to get the creamy texture.
Hi Ellen,
Happy Friday!!🥑🍑 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your review! xT
Perfect quick and easy dinner that even my toddler ate! I froze the leftovers-any suggestions on warming it up in the oven when it’s been frozen?
Hey Molly,
Happy Friday!!🥑🍑 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your review! I would cover with foil and reheat on low in the oven. xT
I didn’t have any broccoli but lots of fresh in season asparagus. So I’m going to sub the asparagus and try it out for dinner tonight!
Hi Lindsay,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
I made this tonight with zero issues! I was perplexed at the not done rice comments. It turned out perfect! The only change I made was to add a bit of Parmesan with the cheddar.
Hey Amanda,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
The flavor is delicious. Whole family loved it! Took left-overs to work next day- just as good microwaved reheat.
Hi Lynn,
Happy Wednesday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it!☀️🌈 xT
I made this recipe like I do for all the 1 pot dishes that ask for rice to be cooked: I used 2 dishes. I make the rice in the rice cooker as I prep and start cooking and then add it. I did everything else the same but added a smidge less broth and shortened the cooking time to about 10 minutes and it turned out great.
Hey Alyssa,
Love it!!🍪🍦 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and sharing your review!! xx
Sooooo good! Turned out perfect! The whole family enjoyed it! 💜 all your recipes.
Hey Rachel,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) xT
Everything I have made from Half-Baked Harvest has been a hit and this was no exception. I doubled this recipe for my family and used Jasmine instead of Basmati (I didn’t realized I didn’t have any until I got home from the store:)), and added a little bit more broth. The dinner was delicious! I love how easy everything you make is!! Can’t wait to try another recipe!! 😍
Hey Mary,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) xT
I read a few people had rice that didn’t cook but happily I didn’t have that problem! The rice was cooked perfectly after 20 minutes. I did choose to cook the chicken separately because of a picky toddler who would not have eaten chicken inside rice, so I added half a chicken bouillon to make up for that. I added the broccoli about fifteen minutes in because I like it crunchier and it came out perfectly.
Altogether it was delicious and I’ll definitely be making it again.
Hey Jenna,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend!! xT
Usually love all half baked harvest recipes but this one was a bust for me. I agree with some of the other reviews about leaving the broccoli to add in towards the end. Also, I’m just not sure on the combination of the rice and pasta. Just didn’t work out for me.
Hi Katlyn,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you didn’t love it! Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
I had the same experience with the rice not cooking. I went on to step 3 and added milk hoping that would help but it didn’t. I let it simmer for another 10 minutes with the milk trying to salvage it, but the rice bits remained hard.
Hi Natalie,
So sorry to hear this! I’m not sure what is happening for some, because this recipe is working for a lot of people. My only guess is the rice type? What kind did you use? Let me know how I can help! xT
This turned out perfectly! I had no issues with the rice either. The whole family loved it. Thank you!
Hi Courtney,
Perfect!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Happy Mother’s Day!💐
So good & easy to make! My rice was perfectly cooked. I used Lundbeg basmati rice.
Hi Amanda,
Happy Friday!!🍍🥥 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
The rice did not cook so I ended up letting it all cook for an extra 20mins and still had some crunchy bits. I would have added the rice earlier and the broccoli later in the process. Also the final result was very bland, added a tablespoon of Worcestershire and a teaspoon dry mustard plus a handful more cheese. This made at least 8 servings, not 4.
Exact same experience. Rice way undercooked and have had it sitting on the stove 20+ more minutes trying to salvage it. Very little flavor from what I tried.
Hi Ashley,
Sorry to hear you are having some issues here. I need a little more info to better help! Was there anything adjusted in the recipe? What kind of rice are you using? Is it possible your heat is too high? The rice is going to finish cooking in step 3, so it won’t be fully cooked in step 2. Please let me know how I can help! xx
I made this for dinner tonight and it was great! My rice was cooked perfectly after 20 min. I also used zucchini instead of broccoli because I had some I need to use. It turned out yummy! My toddler even loved it.
Hey Kelly,
Love it!!🍪🍦 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and sharing your review!! xx
Made this for my family tonight and it was delicious! I have so much left over, I was wondering if it is freezer friendly?
Thanks!
Hey Elizabeth,
Love it!!🍪🍦 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and sharing your review!! Yes, you could totally free this! xx
Hi Liz,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? What kind of rice did you use? Please let me know how I can help!! xx