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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.
Wow this was so delicious!
Love broccoli cheese rice casserole for holidays but this is next level.
I doubled the rice chicken and broth and my family is looking fwd to the leftovers this week.
Thank you!!
Hey Ann! Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! xT
Made this today and it’s very yummy! I doubled the recipe, and used orzo and frozen broccoli. It’s wasn’t very soupy, so I added more milk. I think fresh broccoli would hold its shape better than the frozen, but it was still good!
To appease my southern family, next time I may put it in a baking dish with more cheese on top and call it a casserole 😂
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! Thanks for trying it out 🙂 xT
Think this recipe could work in a slow cooker. When everything is cooked at the end I would then add in the milk and cheese.
Hi Rosemarie! I think that should work well! xT
So easy. I took a rotisserie chicken short cut and this is so delicious. Love it.
Thanks so much Holly!! I love to hear that this dish turned out well for you and appreciate you making it:) xT
Hi Tieghan, Do you think this dish would freeze well?
Hi Mahdia,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
So yum! Added toasted bread crumbs on top. A really good comfort meal.
Hi Katie,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback! Have a great day! xT
Hi! Can you provide freezing/ reheating instructions? Trying to meal prep prior to my maternity leave. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
I would follow the recipe as written and then freeze. To reheat, thaw and reheat on the stove top slowly adding milk as needed:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
Hi there! Would you have any recommendations on if I needed to prepare this a day or so in advance of cooking? Thank you!
Hi Mary Kate,
Sure, I would just follow the recipe through and then reheat with additional milk or cream as needed. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Looks really delicious! I was going to get the ingredients to make for dinner . My only question that I have is that In your pictures it looks like you use fresh broccoli, but under the recipe ingredients when you click on the 3 cups of broccoli it will take you to a picture of frozen broccoli. Which one would be better ?
Hey Carol,
You can use either one:) I like to use fresh broccoli! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Excellent dish! Mine wasn’t soupy even after doubling the milk, but it was still delicious.
Thanks so much Lisa!! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and I appreciate you making it! xT
Super tasty! So I made the recipe as written but baked it in the oven at 375 degrees for 50 mins (started checking it around 35 mins). And I didn’t cut up the chicken, just put the breasts on top of the rice mixture then topped them with the cheese!
Hi Gabby,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xx
Hi! Do you think I could use Fideo pasta as the spaghetti part? So excited to try this recipe!
Hi Lesly,
Totally, that would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
So good! Really enjoyed and easy to make!
Hi Leah,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! Have a great week:)
Can I use other veggies? We don’t have broccoli and I don’t want to shop 😆
Hi Ann,
Sure, zucchini or cauliflower would also work nicely! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Second time making this recipe and just as good this time around! If I weren’t watching calories I would add more cheese, but its very good as-is.
Hi Sarah,
Happy Friday!!😎 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and your comment! xx