This Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice is a simple slow cooker version of one of our all-time favorite casseroles. With this chicken and broccoli rice casserole, you can get your protein, veggies, dairy, and a hearty grain in one meal. It is ideal for Sunday feasts, hectic weeknights, and every occasion in between.
Do you want more chicken recipes? Try my Baked Chicken Breast.
I save a ton of time and money thanks to crock pot recipes. Everyone enjoys the delectable comfort cuisine that is produced with little preparation time. This dish, which calls for chicken, rice, and broccoli, is one of my favorites since it tastes so good. The best part is that everything goes into one crock pot with only about 15 minutes of prep, and the slow cooker does the rest. This slow cooker recipe may be used to plan meals for the rest of the week, but it also provides a substantial family feast.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple: Just put everything in the slow cooker, wait a few hours, and dinner is ready. Everything is set in the slow cooker, and you don't have to touch anything while it cooks until you add the cheese at the end!
- Flavor: This dish is the epitome of comfort food, combining soft broccoli, chicken, and creamy soups, all topped with salty cheddar cheese.
- Family-friendly: This dish will be a hit with your family! Both adults and children love it, and after trying it, they will keep asking for it!
- The Greatest Comfort Food: This feel-good, cheesy chicken and rice casserole is loaded with broccoli and chicken and is quite tasty.
- Perfect for hectic weeknights: You can quickly put dinner on the table with just a few ingredients and a single pot.
- Hands-off cooking: It cooks in about 2 hours on HIGH or 5-6 hours on LOW, so you can set it and forget it.
- Budget Friendly: Chicken, rice and broccoli are inexpensive staples, yet together they make a hearty, filling dinner for the whole family.
Main Ingredients
You will need these basic items to prepare this easy recipe:
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless breasts, which I chopped into 1-inch pieces, but you may also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Broccoli: I prefer to use fresh broccoli sliced into bite-sized florets. You may use either fresh or frozen broccoli.
- Rice: I use brown rice for my dish since it is somewhat healthier than white rice. There's no need to precook the rice because it will be cooked in the crock pot!
- Garlic and garlic powder: vital components that provide flavor to every recipe. Although fresh garlic is best, you can also add a teaspoon of garlic powder for extra depth.
- Onion and onion powder: I used minced red onion and onion powder.
- Cheddar Cheese: I prefer medium cheddar cheese for a cheesy tang. For optimal results, shred your own from a block at home.
- Chicken Broth: This will improve the chicken's taste. Vegetable broth also works well as a substitute.
- Cream of chicken soup: I used homemade cream of chicken soup. You'll need two cups of cream of chicken soup. If you don't have cream of chicken soup, you can use cream of mushroom soup or cream of broccoli soup.
- Mustard: Try adding a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for a distinctive taste boost.
- Spices: Celery salt and paprika add a special spice combination.
- Salt and pepper: To taste, add a little salt and pepper.
How To Make Cheesy Broccoli Chicken And Rice In a Crock Pot
- Use a non-stick spray to coat your crockpot. Chop and season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the rice after that.
- Place the onion and garlic over the chicken.
- Stir in the chopped broccoli.
- Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and celery salt. Put Dijon mustard in the crockpot. Add the cream of chicken soup on top.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Mix everything together.
- Cover and cook for 2 hours on HIGH or 5-6 hours on LOW, or until the rice and chicken are cooked thoroughly.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese, cover again, and leave for approximately five minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Tips
Although this simple crockpot chicken and rice dish is fantastic, you can make it even better with some simple suggestions:
- In the final minutes, try adding a little parmesan cheese on top.
- Make use of skinless and boneless chicken breasts.
- Purchase pre-cut and cleaned broccoli to save time.
- The rice goes into the slow cooker uncooked.
- If you like your broccoli with a little bite, stir it in for the last 30 minutes of cooking instead of at the start.
- This can be prepared in the Instant Pot.
- Include a side dish, such as salad or fresh fruit.
- Using Frozen Broccoli: Stir frozen florets in during the last 30 minutes. They soften quickly and release extra water, so they don't need the full cooking time.
Substitutions and Variations
- Garlic: For this delectable dish, substitute one teaspoon of garlic powder or two teaspoons of jarred minced garlic for the fresh.
- Onion: You may use one teaspoon of onion powder for the fresh red onion.
- Chicken: You may use boneless chicken thighs in this dish, but we used chicken breasts.
- Rice: You can substitute white rice for brown rice in this recipe. Since minute rice is already cooked and may get mushy in the slow cooker, we do not advise using it.
- Cheese: Feel free to substitute your preferred type of cheese. For a taste boost, add pepper jack cheese.
- Broccoli: This dish works well with frozen broccoli.
- Cream of chicken soup: Broccoli cheese soup, cheddar cheese soup, cream of mushroom, and cream of broccoli can all be used in this dish.
- Change the vegetables: Consider removing the broccoli or adding more vegetables! Excellent choices include steamed carrots, cauliflower, peppers, onions, and sautéed mushrooms. Adding frozen peas is simple and requires no thawing.
- Add some spiciness: Use Cajun seasoning or a dash of cayenne pepper to heat your creamy chicken and broccoli!
- Garnish: Add more shredded cheese or chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary or chives, to this meal.
- Cream Cheese: Not keen on cream soups? Swap in a block of cream cheese for a tangier, extra-creamy sauce, and add a splash more broth so the rice has enough liquid.
- Crunchy Topping: Sprinkle crushed buttery crackers over each serving for a little crunch.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A small splash stirred in with the broth gives the sauce a deeper, savory flavor.
- Sour Cream: For an even richer, creamier sauce, stir a few spoonfuls of sour cream in with the cheese at the end.
What To Serve With This Recipe
A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette makes a fresh contrast to this rich, cheesy casserole. Warm cornbread or soft dinner rolls are great for mopping up every bit of the creamy sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This will speed up this easy and quick chicken broccoli rice dish. Follow the recipe as written without the raw chicken, then add the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken near the end of cooking. Simply chop the chicken into small pieces and stir it into the rice mixture along with the cheese.
Yes, you may freeze your rice casserole with chicken broccoli. This dish actually makes a fantastic freezer meal. Do not put your casserole in the freezer until it has cooled completely. I prefer to cover my casserole dish with plastic wrap before covering it with the lid. But you may freeze your casserole in any freezer bag or freezer-safe container. After that, it may be stored for up to three months in the freezer.
Whether you want your meal ready in two hours (high) or five to six hours (low) will determine this.
Yes. Remember that frozen broccoli will lose a substantial quantity of water into the meal and become considerably softer in the slow cooker. Compared to fresh broccoli, it can require shorter cooking time.
Yes. The slow cooker holds a steady, even heat, so the raw chicken cooks through and turns tender. Just cook it for the full time in the recipe and make sure the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) inside.
Give it another 30 minutes to an hour and check whether it needs a splash more chicken broth. Every slow cooker heats a little differently, so cooking times can vary.
No, there's no need. Every time you lift the lid, the slow cooker loses heat, which can add to the cooking time, so keep it covered until it's time to add the cheese.
Storing Leftovers
Keep any leftovers of this delectable rice casserole dish in a zip-top bag or an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for two to three days.
Additionally, leftovers can be frozen for up to three months. Before gently reheating, let your dish thaw in the fridge overnight for optimal results.
To reheat a portion, cover it with a damp paper towel so the rice doesn't dry out, then microwave for about a minute, until hot.
If you tried this Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli And Rice or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli And Rice
INGREDIENTS
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 small red onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cupa cream of chicken soup
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Use a non-stick spray to coat your crockpot. Chop and season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the rice after that.
- Place the onion and garlic over the chicken.
- Stir in the chopped broccoli.
- Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and celery salt. Put Dijon mustard in the crockpot. Add the cream of chicken soup on top.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Mix everything.
- Cover and cook for 2 hours on HIGH or 5-6 hours on LOW. Cook until the rice and chicken are cooked thoroughly.
- Cover again, add the shredded cheddar cheese, and leave for approximately five minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Michael says
You didn't tell us when to add the chicken. I'm assuming since it doesn't say cooked chicken it would go in at the first part but you should probably add that to the actually instructions instead of making people assume....