Chicken Broccoli Rice ($5 Dinner)

Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be delicious like this Chicken Broccoli Rice recipe. With the perfect ratio of seasonings, creamy cheese and cream soup sauce base, and tender chicken, you will have a delicious and easy chicken dinner recipe ready in no time!

Cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole is a great way to get your protein and veggies all wrapped up in one dish and topped with cheese! This is a super simple recipe to make with simple ingredients, so even if you are a novice in the kitchen, you can still have an easy meal for a quick dinner.

If you aren’t sure about cooking the rice in a pot, you can always use an Instant Pot to cook the rice too, making this recipe even easier for a busy weeknight.

Ingredients for Cheesy Broccoli Rice

• Rice: a bag of uncooked white rice
• Oil: I like to use olive oil but you can also use vegetable oil as well
•  Chicken: use a can of chicken, but be sure to open with a can opener and drain in ahead of time
• Broccoli: this recipe uses a bag of frozen broccoli but you can use fresh broccoli florets as well
• Seasonings: paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and oregano
• Soup/sauce: to make the sauce for this casserole dish, use a can cream of chicken soup
• Cheese: you will need a block of cheddar cheese, shredded

How to make Cheesy Broccoli Rice

Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Set to the side.

To a large pot on the stove over medium heat add the oil, once hot add in the drained can of chicken let cook stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.

Add in the broccoli, seasonings, and cream of chicken soup. Stir well and let cook covered for 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Shred the cheese.

Add the rice and cheese into the pot and stir well. Cover with a lid and let the cheese melt down and let the broccoli become tender for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve

How to store leftover chicken broccoli rice casserole:

Fridge: Once the cheesy rice has cooled down to room temperature, scoop the leftovers into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

Tips and tricks for making cheesy broccoli and rice dinner: 

How to make the perfect sauce: 

If you feel like the sauce is not thin enough for the casserole, you can use a little bit of chicken broth or heavy cream to thin down the condensed soup when making the homemade sauce. 

Type of rice to use:

I really enjoy using white rice for this recipe, however, you can also use brown rice as well, however that will add to the time when making this delicious recipe.

Chicken to use for comfort food:

​Keeping things simple for and easy dinner, I like to use canned chicken for this recipe. But, if you prefer using fresh chicken you can always cook up some boneless chicken breasts or use a rotisserie chicken and shred the chicken afterward. 

Chicken recipes to make:

Southwest Chicken Wraps

Enchilada Potato Skillet

Chicken tacos

Barbecue Orange Chicken

If you give these recipes a try, make sure to tag us on Instagram @julia.pacheco.cooking and let us know how much you liked the recipes!