Description
A hearty and flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender chicken, crisp broccoli, and cheesy rice, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables and Herb
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
Protein
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Grains
- 1 cup uncooked extra long grain white rice
Broccoli
- 1 large bunch of fresh broccoli, florets cut into bite-sized pieces
Liquids
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Dairy
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Pantry items and oils
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Sauté onions: Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent and softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Season chicken: While onions cook, season the chicken pieces with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Cook chicken: Increase heat to medium-high and add the chicken to the pan. Brown the chicken pieces evenly, cooking for about 5-7 minutes until cooked through and browned.
- Add garlic: Push the cooked chicken to one side of the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the empty side, then add minced garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Cook rice: Add the uncooked rice to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until the rice turns a light golden color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add broth and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, bring the mixture to a boil, then stir to combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan.
- Simmer rice and chicken: Let cook covered for approximately 12 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the broth and chicken to finish cooking.
- Prepare broccoli: While the rice is cooking, cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets. After the initial 12 minutes, stir the broccoli into the pan, cover again, and cook for another 8 minutes until tender.
- Add cheese: Once everything is cooked, remove the pan from heat. Stir in half of the shredded cheese, mixing until melted and well incorporated.
- Finish with cheese topping: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the mixture, cover the pan, and let sit for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey.
Notes
- You can substitute the cheddar cheese for other melting cheeses like Monterey Jack or Gruyère for different flavor profiles.
- Use fresh broccoli for the best texture, but frozen can work if thawed and drained thoroughly.
- This dish can be topped with chopped herbs such as parsley or chives for added freshness.
- To make it more creamy, stir in a splash of milk or cream before adding the cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (~1.5 cups)
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
