This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This 35-minute one pot chicken, broccoli, and rice recipe is creamy, cheesy, and easy to make on the stove. It’s so much faster than a casserole!

If you love one pot meals, try my Lemon Chicken Orzo or Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole.

chicken broccoli and rice in two white bowls

Why you’ll love it

This is very much like a chicken broccoli rice casserole, but it’s not baked, making it way quicker! It can be on your table in just over 30 minutes. It’s an all-in-one dinner that’s kid-friendly, and you won’t find any fancy ingredients in here.

I used meat from a rotisserie chicken to make this one pot recipe even simpler. Just pick one up on your way home from work or running errands. This is such a comforting meal after a long day, and you won’t spend much time in the kitchen cooking or cleaning up after, which is what’s important, right?

What you’ll need

  • Olive oil and butter – the classic base for sautéing
  • Onion and garlic – I like Vidalia/sweet, but yellow or white is just fine
  • Italian seasoning – it’s a convenient blend of dried herbs that comes in a jar in the spice aisle of your grocery store
  • Rice – we’re using long grain white rice
  • Chicken broth – infuses more flavor into the sauce in an easy way
  • Worcestershire sauce – a little goes a long way to adding wonderful savory flavor. Don’t skip it!
  • Heavy cream – gives the sauce its rich texture. You could swap the cream for a can of condensed cream of chicken soup if you prefer.
  • Chicken – use shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken as a timesaver
  • Broccoli – be sure to cut the fresh broccoli into small florets so that they cook fast
  • Cheddar cheese – try an old/sharp cheddar for the best flavor

What kind of rice to use

  • I used long grain white rice (that’s literally what the bag of rice is labeled as). You could get more specific and use basmati or jasmine rice, which are types of long grain white rice.
  • I do not recommend using brown rice since it’ll require more liquid and cooking time. I have not tested this, but feel free to experiment.
  • Want to make it with orzo? Try my similar one pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo instead.

How to make one pot chicken broccoli rice

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

sauteing onions and adding rice to a dutch oven

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion until softened, then put in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and uncooked rice. Cook for about a minute.

adding broth, broccoli, and chicken to a dutch oven

Stir in the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add in the cream, broccoli, and cooked chicken, and cover again and cook for another few minutes or so.

adding in cheddar cheese to one pot chicken, broccoli, and rice in a dutch oven

Stir in the cheddar, and season to taste with salt & pepper!

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

  • I recommend grating your own cheese. It’ll taste and melt better. My favorite grater for cheddar makes this process quick and easy.
  • This is the Dutch oven I use for my one pot recipes.
  • Store the remainder of the garlic in this cute garlic keeper.

Tips for success

  • On my stove with the directed cooking times and temperatures, there’s a bit of liquid left that makes a sauce, and the rice is cooked but not mushy. This should not be a “gloopy” meal unless you overcook it or if you use a shorter grain rice that’s more starchy/sticky.
  • As with any one pot meal, you may need to use a bit of discretion since stoves and pots vary. If there seems to not be enough liquid (like the rice is about to start sticking to the pot), add in a splash more broth or cream. If there’s too much liquid towards the end of cooking time, simply let it cook for a bit longer.
  • If you want to keep it mild for the kids but jazz up your portion, just add some hot sauce 😉
one pot chicken broccoli and rice

What to serve with this meal

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, but keep in mind the rice will soak up more of the liquid, so it won’t have quite the same texture as when it’s first made.
  • Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat. You could try adding in a drizzle of cream or broth to revive it.
  • I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
chicken broccoli rice casserole close-up in white bowl

Questions about this cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice recipe? Talk to me in the comments below! I’d love it if you left me a review. I’m also on Instagram.

chicken broccoli and rice in two white bowls
4.80 from 20 votes

Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice

This 35-minute one pot chicken, broccoli, and rice recipe is creamy, cheesy, and easy to make on the stove. It's so much faster than a casserole!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice see note
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 2 cups cooked chicken (I used rotisserie) shredded/chopped
  • 2 cups broccoli cut into small florets
  • 1.5-2 cups grated cheddar
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Prep all ingredients. If you want to have a melted cheese topping, grate 2 cups of cheddar. If not, only grate 1.5 cups like I did for the photos.
  • Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot/Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and rice, and cook for about a minute (stir frequently).
  • Stir in the broth and Worcestershire sauce, and increase the heat to high. Once it comes to a boil, give it a stir, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the cream, chicken, and broccoli. Cover the pot again and cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli has softened to your liking and the rice has cooked. On my stove with the directed cooking times and temperatures, there's a bit of liquid left that makes a sauce, and the rice is cooked but not mushy. It will thicken more as it cools. See recipe notes for troubleshooting tips.
  • Stir in the 1.5 cups of cheddar and taste and season with salt & pepper as needed (I am generous with both – there's a lot of rice in here). If you want the melted cheese topping, top with the remaining half cup of cheese and let it melt for a few minutes prior to serving.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6 depending on portion size/what else it’s served with.
  • I used long grain white rice (that’s literally what the bag of rice is labeled as). You could use basmati or jasmine rice, which are types of long grain white rice. I don’t recommend using brown rice since it’ll require more liquid and cooking time (I have not tested it, but feel free to experiment). Shorter grain rice varieties will be more sticky/starchy/gloopy.
  • Troubleshooting tips:
    • Stoves and pots vary, so take my directions as a guideline. If there seems to not be enough liquid/the rice is sticking to the pot, add in a splash more broth or cream and lower the heat. If there’s too much liquid towards the end of cooking time, simply let it cook for a bit longer (turn the heat up a bit if needed).

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 129mg, Sodium: 711mg, Potassium: 436mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1197IU, Vitamin C: 38mg, Calcium: 278mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

Leave a comment

Please leave a recipe rating!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

53 Comments

  1. Can sub 2+ cups fresh riced cauliflower for rice, and stuck under the broiler (same one pot) and added French fried onions as crunchy topping. Yum 😋

    1. Hi Lori! We wouldn’t recommend it. It’s likely that it would turn to mush since it’s already cooked, and this recipe is designed for uncooked long grain white rice. Read the blog post for more specifics on why. 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    This recipe is really good! The only thing I do differently is add the broccoli 5 min before the rice mixture is done, because I find the broccoli takes a while to soften. I have made with rotisserie chicken and sautéed thighs and both are good, and I have also had to use half and half in place of cream when I had none on hand and it works fine, just takes a little longer to thicken. My family loves this one and it makes lots of leftovers!

  3. 5 stars
    One of our new favorites! Whole family absolutely loves it…made a pot for 4 of us yesterday and it was gone so fast that I had to make a 2nd pot right then. (I omit the broccoli most of the time, still turns out wonderfully delicious).

  4. 5 stars
    Very good, I added grated carrots with onion and sprinkled with toasted panko crumbs (with olive oil and salt) before serving! Will definitely make again.