Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice

January 22, 2013

Today, for you all, right here on this blog, I have another easy one pot meal. This recipe is perfect for a weeknight in. Just toss the ingredients into a large skillet and go watch your Sunday night DVR recording of Shameless.

By the way, if you have Showtime, you totally should be watching this show. It is heartbreaking and hilarious at the same time. If you don’t have Showtime, jump on the How I Met Your Mother or Happy Endings or Parks and Rec bandwagon.

I heard a lot of people talking and tweeting about Parenthood. I am going to have to maybe save that one for the summer when all my regular TV shows take a hiatus.

Anyway, back to the food. This dish can be used as a basic template. Instead of rice, you can switch it up with quinoa or any other grain you prefer. Instead of chicken you could use a lean beef or maybe tofu for you vegetarians out there.

And let’s talk about the cheese. I just used sharp cheddar, but imagine a nice creamy fontina or a low-fat mozzarella if you are watching your weight.

We have eaten this twice over the past week. It is a large enough recipe to have leftovers for another meal. I know you guys will love this!

Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice

Course Dinner, One Pot Meal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 - 6
Author Sarcastic Cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast cut into cubes
  • Salt & Pepper
  • ¼ Cup Diced Red Onion/Yellow Onion
  • 2 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 Cup Jasmine Rice
  • 2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
  • 5 Cups Chopped Broccoli Florets
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon Paprika
  • Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Tarragon
  • 1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar

Instructions

  1. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat for a minute over medium/high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and then add to the hot pan. Cook chicken for five minutes, tuning each piece once. After five minutes, remove from pan, place on a plate off to the side.
  2. Reduce heat to low, add onion. Sauté onion for three minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add rice to pan, stir for a minute or two to toast the rice.
  3. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer with the lid on. Simmer rice for fifteen minutes.
  4. Eight minutes into the rice cooking, add the broccoli to the rice. Cover with lid and continue cooking rice while the broccoli steams.
  5. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes to the broccoli and rice. Stir to combine. Add in the chicken and tarragon, stir to combine. Sprinkle cheese on top of broccoli, chicken, and rice. Cover with lid and let stand for two to three minutes, until the cheese melts. Stir the melted cheese into the dish. Serve right away. Reheat in microwave or in a pan with a little bit of warmed chicken stock. Dish will last four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

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  • Samantha
    July 11, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    Could you use brown rice with this? and would leaving out the Tarragon make a huge difference? I don’t have it on hand and i’m not sure my local store carries it. Thanks!

    • Stefanie
      July 11, 2013 at 12:33 pm

      Sure, you could definitely use brown rice. Just watch the cooking time because it may be different than regular old white rice. As far as the herbs, you can leave out the fresh tarragon and add in any dried herbs you have on hand for some extra flavor.

  • Megan
    January 24, 2013 at 8:31 pm

    I can’t wait to try with quoina and broccoli! Also thankyou for using Tarragon it’s such an under rated herb!
    -Megan
    Also are you on the 30 rock bandwagon? If not pull up a seat!

    • Stefanie
      January 24, 2013 at 8:36 pm

      Oh my gosh! Totally in love with Tina Fey so of course I watch 30 Rock! This season is amazing. So sad it has to end.

  • Jennie @themessybakerblog
    January 24, 2013 at 7:28 am

    Yay for one-pot meals! This looks so good. Heck, more time in front of the TV is always a good thing.

  • Anita at Hungry Couple
    January 23, 2013 at 11:13 pm

    Perfect combination of flavors!

  • Evan McGinnis
    January 23, 2013 at 12:17 am

    I just finished eating this. It was delicious! I’m single and cooking for one can be difficult. This will be a better replacement for the times that I’d normally make pasta for an entire week!

    I added a cup of mushrooms and some sriracha!

    Love your photos and recipes!

    • Stefanie
      January 23, 2013 at 6:41 am

      Thanks Evan! I love the addition of mushrooms! I also saw that one of my friends added cauliflower. Both great ideas!

  • Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    January 22, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    This looks like such a nice, cozy meal! I love that it’s one pot. Also…glad to know someone else out there is still watching Happy Endings. I’m worried that the fact new episodes are airing both Sundays and Tuesdays means they’re just using up episodes and planning to cancel it!

    • Stefanie
      January 22, 2013 at 8:13 pm

      Oh no!!!! I hope they don’t cancel it!!!

    • Ashleigh
      January 23, 2013 at 1:45 pm

      I heard the Sunday episodes are ones that didn’t make last season, hence the strange softball episode in the dead of winter.

      • Megan
        January 24, 2013 at 8:33 pm

        Nooooooo they can’t cancel it!!

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    January 22, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    This dish looks legend-… wait for it… and I hope you’re not lactose intolerant because the second half of that word is DAIRY!

    (Couldn’t help myself.)

    • Stefanie
      January 22, 2013 at 8:12 pm

      Nerd.

    • Megan
      January 24, 2013 at 8:33 pm

      *high five*

  • Ashleigh
    January 22, 2013 at 9:51 am

    Yum! We love the broccoli/rice combo in our house! I’m glad you mentioned Happy Endings…I feel like no one watches it! I also watch Parenthood, I think you would like it. Be warned, it’s a tear jerker though. I keep getting excited when I see Shameless on Netflix, until I realize it’s the British version. I’m trying to convince the hubs to get Showtime & HBO…I’m obsessed with Girls! Okay, I’ll stop rambling! I can talk TV all day.

    • Stefanie
      January 22, 2013 at 8:15 pm

      HAHAHA! Me too! I love Girls, so funny. My husband hates it. He keeps saying he just doesn’t get it. We signed up for a free trial of Showtime for a month. We said we were going to cancel it after Weeds wrapped up, then we got hooked on Dexter, then Homeland and now Shameless. I am Stefanie and I have a TV addiction. Real life.

      • Ashleigh
        January 22, 2013 at 10:43 pm

        My husband says the same thing! Have you seen Idiot Abroad? It’s so funny!

        • Stefanie
          January 23, 2013 at 6:42 am

          Gasp! I have not seen this show! What channel is it on?

          • Ashleigh
            January 23, 2013 at 1:43 pm

            Not sure what channel…We found it randomly one day. I think it’ s the Sci Chan. A new season just started. Ricky Gervais sends his friend around the world, fulfilling other people’s bucket list items. We crack up watching it.