One Pan Chicken, Broccoli, Rice Dinner

Today, I’m bringing back a timeless favorite – one pan chicken broccoli rice – a dish that had somehow slipped off my radar but made a triumphant return to our dinner table. Dive into the simplicity, budget-friendliness, and comforting flavors of this beloved classic.

How to Make One Pan Chicken, Broccoli, Rice Dinner

Ingredients:

• Small yellow onion (or swap with onion powder)
• 2.5 cups fresh broccoli (or use frozen)
• 10 ounces chicken breast (or swap with canned chicken)
• 2 cloves grated garlic (or garlic powder/paste)
• 1 cup white rice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2.5 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth, or use chicken bouillon)
• 1.5 cups cheddar cheese (or mozzarella, monterey jack)

The Recipe:

Start by chopping up a little yellow onion. If you’re feeling lazy, swap it out with some onion powder – no judgment here! Saute the onion over medium heat in a dutch oven.

Chop of the broccoli into bite sized pieces – about 2.5 cups of that green goodness. Fresh or frozen, your call. Broccoli on sale? Grab it! That’s my budget-friendly tip for you.

Next up, protein! I’ve got 10 ounces of diced uncooked chicken breast, but hey, canned chicken is a winner too. Easy on the wallet, and you won’t miss out on the heartiness. Chop that chicken into bite-sized pieces – you want it to mingle evenly with everything else.

Add the chicken to the onions with some salt and pepper. As the onions and chicken become best buddies, toss in two cloves of grated garlic – or garlic powder if you’re not in the mood for grating.

Now, let’s talk rice – a cup of that white goodness sautéed until it’s got that golden glow.

The magic continues with 2.5 cups of chicken broth. No broth? No problem! Water and a little extra salt will do the trick.

Cover it up and let it simmer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add your broccoli, gracefully dancing into the mix. Cover back up for another 8 minutes – that’s the secret to tender broccoli and perfectly cooked rice.

Now, for the grand finale – CHEESE! Sprinkle some over the dish, let it melt into gooey perfection. Cheddar, mozzarella, or monterey jack – whatever you’ve got will work its cheesy magic.

Mix it all up and marvel at the cheesy goodness. Serve this Classic Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Delight, and watch it disappear. My household devoured it – the kids, the husband – everyone loved it. I’m thinking, why did we let this classic slip away for so long!

What to Serve with this One Pan Chicken, Broccoli, Rice Dinner

This one is kind of an all in one! I recommend some garlic bread on the side and maybe one of these delicious desserts for later:

• Browned Butter Pecan Cookies
• Oatmeal Snickerdoodle
• Mini Cheesecakes

Make it Healthier:

I’m always looking for new ways to add veggies to my dishes. Here are some ideas to add more nutrients to this dish or make it lighter:

• Use cauliflower rice instead of white rice – this will decrease your cooking time since you don’t need to cook the rice.
• Brown rice is also a healthier option but will take longer to cook! Still add the broccoli 8 minutes before the rice is done.
• You could use a cashew cream sauce instead of cheese to keep this dairy free.
• Add extra veggies such as sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach.
• Double the broccoli!
• Use chickpeas and vegetable broth instead of chicken for a vegetarian option.

Make it Kid Friendly:

I always recommend you adjust recipes based on what your family likes. If your kids or even other family members are weary of this dish here are some swap recommendations to get them trying new things without serving a completely different dish:

• Cook and serve the broccoli separate. Encourage your kids to have a smaller portion of the veggies but still try them. I offer mine a “no thank you bite”. They don’t need to eat it all but they do need to try it.
• Offer any sauce your kids like to make this more enjoyable for them. I find that Parmesan cheese or ketchup are winners!
• Cut the chicken and broccoli up very small. This tends to help kids with texture issues.

Swap Ideas:

• Use a teaspoon of onion powder instead of a chopped onion, add it when you add the chicken.
• You can also make this dish with canned chicken. It’s a great way to use pantry friendly canned chicken and I bet you can’t tell the difference! If using canned chicken, just add it with the chicken broth since it won’t need to be cooked.
• This dish can be made with cooked, shredded chicken, just add it in when you add the broccoli but mix it into the rice.
• You can use whatever cheese you have on hand at the end! They’d all taste good!
• You could use zucchini or spinach instead of broccoli. Add the spinach just 1 minute before the cooking time is up.
• You can use frozen broccoli, just cook it according to package instructions and mix it in at the end.
• Use 1 tsp onion powder instead of fresh onion.

Shopping Tips:

• If rotisserie chicken is on sale, you can stock up on it, shred it, and freeze it for later!
• Stock up on proteins such as boneless chicken breast or thighs when they are on sale, freeze them, and then defrost them for a dish like this!
• Block cheese is often cheaper per lb than shredded cheese and it melts a lot better. Always check your unit price!
• Cheese freezes well, so, if it’s on sale, shredded or not, grab a few and freeze them for when you need them!

As always, please share your own recommendations on how to make this dish healthier, more kid friendly, swap ideas, and budget shopping tips in the comments!

FOR MORE INEXPENSIVE DINNER RECIPES CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS:

• 3 New Slow Cooker Recipes
• Inexpensive and Easy in the Slow Cooker
• All New Recipes for Slow Cooker Season

MORE INEXPENSIVE RECIPES TO TRY:

• Crock Pot Italian Sausage – So easy, my mother in law taught me this!
• Mississippi Pot Roast (A family Fav!)
• Money Saving Poor Man’s Stew

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