One-Pot Chicken and Broccoli Rice is a scrumptious 30-minute skillet dinner made with cooked chicken, broccoli, and rice. This family-approved chicken rice and broccoli turns rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken into a tasty meal!
Chicken and broccoli rice in one pot
Chicken and rice with broccoli is a classic, family-approved easy dinner recipe. It's a dump-and-cook dinner that makes a whole meal out of cooked chicken, broccoli, and rice...and it's practically hands-free!
Broccoli chicken and rice ingredients
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic cloves
- long-grain white rice
- milk
- chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- fresh broccoli (or frozen)
- rotisserie chicken breast, shredded chicken, or baked chicken
- lemon
- fresh parsley
Is chicken and rice healthy?
Actually, to me it sure can be! Chicken and broccoli recipes often call for a lot of cheese. This one has zero cheese. Nothing against it, but sometimes we need a break from the added calories and saturated fat. This dish becomes creamy by cooking it in its own starch from the rice and a little milk.
I like to use 1% milk, and I've even used unsweetened almond milk. You're welcome to use any milk you like.
How to make Chicken Broccoli Rice in one pot
Step 1. Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil a nonstick skillet.
Step 2. Add the uncooked rice and let it saute for a few minutes.
Step 3. Add the milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
Step 4. Cover and simmer 10 minutes on med-low heat.
Step 5. Add the rotisserie chicken and broccoli to the skillet; don't stir, just lay it on top of the rice.
Step 6. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes until rice is fully cooked. The broccoli will be nicely steamed and chicken will be reheated.
Step 7. Remove the lid, toss everything together, and serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
* See full recipe below
Can I use brown rice in this chicken and rice recipe?
Unfortunately, the brown rice can't be simply substituted for white rice in this recipe. The reason is, the brown rice cooking time required will overcook the other ingredients.
Recommended tools
- chef knife
- cutting board (to chop onions)
- Microplane fine grater (to grate garlic)
- colander (to rinse/drain rice)
- 11" skillet with lid or 3-quart dutch oven
- silicone spatula or wooden spoon
Want easy chicken recipes?
- Easy Baked Chicken Leg Drumsticks
- Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Easy Chicken Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast
- Shepherd’s Pie [Turkey Or Chicken]
One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely grated
- 1 cup Long Grain White Rice, rinsed
- 1 1/4 cup Milk, your choice
- 1 1/4 cup Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 cups fresh Broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup rotisserie Chicken Breast, shredded
- 1 Lemon, sliced into wedges for serving
- 1 Tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
Recipe Instructions
- Heat OLIVE OIL in a large, nonstick skillet on medium-high.
- Add ONION and GARLIC; sauté until tender and fragrant (about 3 min).
- Add WHITE RICE; continue heating and stirring to toast the rice (about 3 min).
- Add MILK, CHICKEN BROTH, SALT, and PEPPER; stir to combine; adjust heat to HIGH and bring everything to a gentle boil (about 3 minutes).
- Cover, turn heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Scatter BROCCOLI and CHICKEN BREAST over surface of rice (but DON’T stir); cover and simmer 10 more minutes to steam everything.
- Remove lid, gently toss, and serve warm (optional) garnished with PARSLEY and lemon wedges.
PRO TIP: The rice will absorb the liquid during cooking, so be sure to add a few splashes of milk just before serving. This helps the rice maintain its creamy consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
I originally published this chicken and rice recipe on amandascookin.com.
Joy says
My mother and I both enjoyed this recipe a lot, and I have enough for lunch to carry me through the next 3 days. Thank you so much for sharing it. I do want to let you know it is possible to make this with brown rice. I used brown basmati rice. Follow the directions as written up until step 5, where you will put your liquid in and then extend the time you cook it with the lid on from 10 minutes to about 30 - 35 minutes. Put your broccoli and shredded chicken in, then put the lid back on for another 10 minutes to cook the broccoli and heat the chicken. It worked wonderfully for me (I don't have white rice in the house). The brown rice adds a nice nutty flavour, and is a bit chewier than the white rice, but I love it.
Awesome!! Gosh, you're so right about using brown rice in this recipe. I've been using a lot more of it lately as opposed to white rice. I'll have to try your method! Thanks for sharing and glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Beth says
Super easy and turned out delicious.
Awesome, Beth! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. We're big fans too 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Jacqueline says
This looks delicious and perfect for an easy dinner! Can’t wait to make it!
Side note: if we’re using Recently frozen- freshly thawed out chicken, what adjustments should I be making?
Thank you, still learning how to cook! Lol
Awesome, Jacqueline! To answer your question, I need to know ... are you referring to uncooked or cooked chicken?
Jacqueline says
Uncooked chicken 🙂
Ok, I would cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, stir it in with the milk, chicken broth, etc, and follow the recipe accordingly. Let me know if you have further questions 🙂 Enjoy!
Christine says
My hubs and I are dieting and have been sticking to chicken rice and broccoli. We’ve gotten so bored of it. Well this is the same thing we’ve been eating, but some how this recipe has made it amazing! It really spiced it up and tasted delicious!!! Thank you for giving another yummy recipe to make healthy eating more exciting 🙂
Yay Christine! This makes me so happy...we LOVE this recipe too. Pretty sure my other half feels so very accomplished when he makes this because it's an easy recipe that's hard to mess up...it always turns out 🙂 Thanks again!
Rebecca says
Loved it. I added a couple big scoops of greek yogurt. Omg, amazing.
Awesome, Rebecca! So glad you enjoyed it and I love the addition of Greek yogurt. That sounds like something right out of my playbook 😉 Thanks again!
Joanne Gledhill says
This has some of my favorite ingredients. So I know I will like it. Have some rotisserie chicken frozen. Will make it this week. Just used up my broccoli. So a trip to store needed. Thanks for all you do!!!
Awww, you're so welcome, Joanne! Thank YOU for appreciating 🙂 Enjoy this recipe...it's one of our favs!!!
JB says
Made this chicken broccoli rice dish tonight. Quick, easy recipe saved us from not planning dinner. We added a little milk at the end before serving to make it extra creamy. Excellent! Can't wait for leftovers.
Awesome JB! So glad you enjoyed it! It really does solve the "what's for dinner?" problem fast!