One Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice: Your Ultimate Guide to an Easy Weeknight Dinner
For those who cherish the joy of effortless home cooking, prepare to discover your new favorite go-to recipe! This incredible one-skillet dish masterfully combines tender chicken, vibrant fresh broccoli, and fluffy white rice into a single, sensational meal. Just like a hearty Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta, this one-pan skillet chicken broccoli and rice offers homemade comfort without the fuss, making busy weeknights surprisingly simple and deliciously satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This One Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice Recipe
Finding quick and delicious meals to fit into a hectic weeknight schedule can be a challenge. But what if there was a dish that was not only incredibly fast but also packed with flavor and minimal cleanup? Look no further! This one skillet chicken broccoli and rice recipe is designed to be your weeknight hero.
Imagine a meal that comes together in about 35 minutes, dirtying only one pan. This dish is exceptionally creamy, yet it feels light and wholesome. It’s hearty enough to fill you up without leaving you feeling weighed down, making it perfect for the entire family. The secret lies in a simple process: sautéing aromatics, toasting and steaming rice in a rich mixture of whole milk and chicken broth, then adding perfectly cooked chicken and crisp-tender broccoli. The result is a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that will have everyone asking for seconds. Even better, the leftovers are just as delightful, making it an excellent option for meal prepping throughout the week.
If you’re looking for more quick and healthy chicken skillet recipes, be sure to explore options like the Easy Chicken Spinach Mushroom Skillet or the Sun-Dried Tomato Vodka Chicken. Both recipes offer robust flavors and substantial nutrition, all while keeping your cooking time around 30 minutes.
The Magic of One-Pan Cooking: Simplify Your Weeknights
One-pan meals have revolutionized home cooking, especially for individuals and families with demanding schedules. The beauty of a dish like this One Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice extends far beyond its delicious taste. It’s about the unparalleled convenience it brings to your kitchen. With just a single skillet, you minimize prep time, streamline the cooking process, and drastically reduce the dreaded post-dinner cleanup. This means more quality time for yourself and your loved ones, and less time scrubbing pots and pans.
Beyond the practical advantages, one-pan cooking allows flavors to meld together in a unique way. As all ingredients cook in the same vessel, the chicken, broccoli, and rice absorb each other’s delicious essences, creating a depth of flavor that’s hard to achieve with separate cooking methods. The creamy sauce infuses every grain of rice and every florent of broccoli, ensuring a consistently delightful bite. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients, when cooked thoughtfully in a single environment, can transform into an extraordinary meal.
Essential Ingredients for a Flavorful Meal
Gathering the right ingredients is the first step to creating this delectable skillet meal. Each component plays a crucial role in building the creamy texture and rich flavor profile.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil: The foundation for sautéing. Olive oil adds a rich, fruity note and helps prevent sticking. You can use any neutral cooking oil if preferred.
- ½ cup onion (1 small onion, diced): Onions provide a sweet and savory base. Dicing them finely ensures they cook down evenly and blend seamlessly into the dish.
- 2 garlic cloves (finely grated): Garlic is key for aromatic depth. Grating or mincing it finely releases its potent flavor, spreading it throughout the dish.
- 1 cup white long grain rice (rinsed and drained): Rinsing the rice is crucial to remove excess starch, preventing it from becoming gummy and ensuring each grain cooks up perfectly fluffy and distinct. Long grain rice is ideal here for its texture.
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk: This is where the creamy magic happens! Whole milk contributes richness and a silky consistency to the rice. For a lighter version, 1% milk can be used, though it will result in a slightly less creamy dish.
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth: Adds savory depth and helps cook the rice. Low-sodium chicken broth is a great choice to control the overall saltiness of the dish. Vegetable broth can be substituted for a different flavor profile.
- ½ teaspoon salt: A fundamental seasoning that enhances all the other flavors. Adjust to your personal preference.
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper: Adds a subtle warmth and a touch of spice. Freshly ground black pepper is always recommended for the best flavor.
- 2 cups fresh broccoli (bite-sized pieces): Broccoli adds essential nutrients, vibrant color, and a pleasant texture. Ensure pieces are uniform in size for even cooking. Fresh broccoli is preferred for its crispness, but frozen can be used if thawed and drained well.
- 1 cup cooked chicken (shredded): This recipe is perfect for using up leftover roasted or shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken is an excellent shortcut, adding incredible flavor and saving time.
- ½ lemon (for serving): A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the entire dish, cutting through the richness and adding a refreshing tang. Don’t skip this!
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped): A sprinkle of fresh parsley provides a final flourish of color and a fresh, herbaceous note.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe:
Having the right tools can make your cooking experience even smoother. Here are the essentials I rely on for this recipe:
- Chef’s knife: For efficient chopping of onions, garlic, and broccoli. A sharp knife makes prep safer and faster.
- Cutting board: A sturdy surface for all your chopping needs, protecting your countertops.
- Microplane fine grater: Perfect for finely grating garlic, ensuring it melts into the dish without large chunks.
- Colander: Indispensable for rinsing and draining the rice thoroughly.
- 5-quart nonstick skillet with lid: The star of the show! A good nonstick skillet prevents rice from sticking, and a tight-fitting lid is crucial for steaming the rice properly. The T-fal skillet pictured is an excellent example.
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon: Essential for stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet without damaging the nonstick surface.
I recently surprised my hungry partner with this delightful dish, and he was absolutely thrilled! It felt incredibly rewarding, mainly because it was so ridiculously easy to make. I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but I’m being completely honest here. This meal is so straightforward and utterly delicious, it makes me wonder why I didn’t start making it sooner!
Discover More Awesome Skillet Recipes…
- Spring Stir Fry with Dorot
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
- Rotisserie Chicken Nachos
- One-Pan Creamy Mushroom Ravioli
- Mushroom Stroganoff Skillet-Style
One Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion (1 small onion diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely grated)
- 1 cup white long grain rice (rinsed and drained)
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups fresh broccoli (bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup cooked chicken (shredded)
- ½ large lemon (for serving)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Before You Begin
Options: To lighten up the dish, you can use 1% milk instead of whole milk. If you prefer a richer flavor, consider topping it with your favorite shredded cheese (like cheddar or mozzarella) during the last few minutes of cooking, covering the skillet to allow the cheese to melt into a luscious layer.
Instructions
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Prepare Ingredients: Begin by prepping all your recipe ingredients. This includes dicing the onion, finely grating the garlic, cutting the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, and shredding your cooked chicken. Rinse and drain the white long grain rice thoroughly.
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Sauté Aromatics: In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium flame until it shimmers (about 2 minutes). Add the diced onion and grated garlic to the hot oil. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent, and the garlic is fragrant (approximately 3 minutes). Be careful not to burn the garlic.
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Toast Rice: Add the rinsed and drained white rice to the skillet. Continue heating and stirring, allowing the moisture to evaporate and the rice to become fragrant and lightly toasted (about 3 minutes). This step adds a wonderful nutty flavor.
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Simmer Liquids: Pour in the whole milk, chicken broth, salt, and black pepper. Stir all ingredients to combine thoroughly. Increase the flame to high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil (this usually takes about 3 minutes).
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Cook Rice: Once boiling, immediately cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the flame to medium-low and allow the rice to simmer undisturbed for 10 minutes. This gentle cooking ensures the rice absorbs the liquid evenly.
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Add Broccoli and Chicken: After 10 minutes, carefully lift the lid. Add the fresh broccoli florets and shredded cooked chicken on top of the rice. Do not stir them into the rice yet. Recover the skillet and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, allowing the broccoli to steam to a tender-crisp texture and the chicken to warm through.
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Finish and Serve: Remove the lid from the skillet. Gently toss everything together until well combined. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the entire surface of the dish for a burst of brightness, and then top with chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm and enjoy your effortless one-skillet meal!
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Tips for the Perfect Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice
- Rinse Your Rice: Don’t skip rinsing the rice! It removes excess starch, which prevents the rice from becoming sticky and helps each grain cook up perfectly.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Skillet: While it’s a one-skillet meal, ensure your skillet is large enough to comfortably hold all ingredients. Overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking and steaming instead of proper simmering.
- Achieve Tender-Crisp Broccoli: Adding the broccoli during the last 10 minutes of simmering ensures it cooks to a vibrant green, tender-crisp perfection without becoming mushy.
- Adjust Liquid for Desired Consistency: If you prefer a looser, creamier rice, you can add a splash more milk or broth during the final stir, especially when reheating leftovers. The rice tends to absorb liquid as it sits.
- Flavor Boosters: For extra depth, a pinch of dried Italian herbs or a dash of garlic powder can be added with the salt and pepper. A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese over the top before serving melts beautifully into the warm dish.
Delicious Variations to Explore
This recipe is wonderfully versatile, allowing for creative twists:
- Cheesy Goodness: Stir in ½ cup of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend of your favorite cheeses during the last step, covering the skillet for a minute or two until melted and bubbly.
- Add More Veggies: Incorporate other quick-cooking vegetables like frozen peas (add with chicken and broccoli), sliced mushrooms (sauté with onions), or chopped bell peppers (add with onions).
- Spice it Up: For a little kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the salt and pepper, or a dash of your favorite hot sauce at the end.
- Different Proteins: Instead of chicken, consider cooked shrimp (add during the last 5 minutes of simmering), cooked turkey, or even vegetarian options like chickpeas or white beans for a plant-based twist.
- Herb Swaps: While parsley offers freshness, other herbs like fresh dill, chives, or even a tiny bit of thyme can add different aromatic layers.
Serving Suggestions
This One Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice is a complete meal on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a few simple additions:
- A fresh, crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette.
- Crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up any extra creamy sauce.
- A sprinkle of extra fresh parsley or a grating of Parmesan cheese as a garnish.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Storage: Allow any leftovers to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: For best results, reheat individual portions in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. The rice will absorb more liquid as it sits, so I highly recommend adding a splash of milk or chicken broth (1-2 tablespoons per serving) while reheating to restore its creamy consistency. Stir gently until warmed through.
