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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 share the same sentiment as others that the dish is not seasoned enough, and I doubled all the seasonings. Otherwise, it’s very good and tastes just like broccoli cheddar soup, just in rice form! I used orzo instead of spaghetti.
Hi there,
Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear about the seasonings, but glad it was enjoyed otherwise!
We made this and doubled the batch so we would have leftovers. I agree with others that this one was not a hit.
For the adults, it was very underseasoned and I found myself adding lots of salt and pepper throughout the cooking process that wasn’t called for, as well as extra cheese. If making this again, I would at least double the seasonings. I’d also add several cloves of minced garlic when cooking the chicken and onion.
I think we will try again as I feel this recipe has a lot of potential and my kids did eat it and enjoyed it.
Hi Cassidy,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Just made this tonight
It is so creamy & delicious
Thank you for sharing!
Hey Stacey,
Awesome! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
This was really not great. Underseasoned, too much rice and not creamy enough. I was disappointed!
Hi there,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Flavor is great but mine turned out too dry/ not creamy. I even added in more milk and still dry ? What could I have done wrong!? Thanks!
Hi Mikaela,
Thanks for trying this recipe and your feedback! So sorry to hear it was dry. Did you cover and reduce your heat to low? My guess is your stove might have cooked everything at a little bit of a higher temp.
So good and easy!
Thanks so much, Caitlyn! I appreciate you trying this recipe, so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great fall weekend!
I made this for the 1st time tonight for my family. I was worried bc I only had almond milk and frozen broccoli. I threw in the broccoli after the rice & pasta cooked for 15mins. I let the broccoli cook with the pasta and rice for 10 mins before adding the milk and cheese. It was a hit and the broccoli was cooked perfectly! Thank you so much!
Hi Christina,
Wonderful! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a bunch for giving it a try!
Do you rinse your rice before making this? Thanks!
Hi Brittani,
I do not rinse my rice. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Tieghan,
Can I use all orzo instead of any basmati rice / broken spaghetti?
Thanks!
Hi Katelin,
I have not tested that with this recipe, but I’m sure it would probably be okay for you to do. Please let me know if you give this dish a try! xx
I made this tonight for my family. It was a HUGE hit! My favorite part is that it’s crave-able and creamy without using heavy cream which tends to upset my stomach. We all loved the flavor and literally cannot wait to have leftovers tomorrow.
Thanks so much, Marie! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for trying it! Have the best week:)
Making this tonight…curious if the chicken is raw or already cooked when cubed and added?!
Hi Jacqueline,
The chicken is raw:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
This was a great comfort food meal on a cold night. Thanks for the recipe. Can you freeze it?
Hi Edna,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! Yes, you can definitely freeze this. Happy Sunday! XxT
This was delish. Forsure going into our monthly meal prep rotation. Reheats well so much flavor and easy to make when you have multiple kids and little time.
Thanks so much, Krys! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it! xT
Hi! Can I sub the basmati for jasmine rice instead?
Hi Grace,
Yes, that will work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Warm and tasty dinner the whole family enjoys! I have a teenage boy, a picky husband and two toddlers to feed and this is a huge win in our book. Also, a great meal I make to take to new moms or people needing a nice warm meal. I did add a little more seasonings and my signature touch of garlic salt!
Hey Melanie,
Happy New Year!!🎆 Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! XxT