Classic Kid-Friendly Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice
A comforting and easy-to-make dish featuring tender chicken, fluffy rice, and vibrant broccoli, all enveloped in a creamy, cheesy sauce that kids and adults will love.
Equipment
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 0.5 tsp Garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp Onion powder
- 0.5 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
- 2 cups Chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 cup Long-grain white rice
- 1.5 cups Broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 1 small Small onion diced
- 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 1.5 cups Shredded cheddar cheese (sharp or mild)
- 0.5 cup Milk or light cream
Instructions
Preparation
- Prepare ingredients by cubing chicken, dicing the onion, and cutting or thawing broccoli florets.
Cooking
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add cubed chicken to the skillet and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and mostly cooked, then remove from skillet and set aside.
- If needed, add more olive oil to the skillet, then cook the diced onion for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Stir in the uncooked rice with the onions and cook for about 1 minute, toasting it lightly.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
Finishing
- Once the rice is cooked, stir in the reserved cooked chicken and broccoli florets.
- Pour in milk or light cream.
- Sprinkle in shredded cheddar cheese.
- Stir until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce and the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp.
Notes
To make it even faster, use pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. Adjust seasoning to taste. For a richer flavor, use full-fat milk or heavy cream.