Next up in my “one pot meal” series is this broccoli chicken rice. This is the ideal weeknight dinner. It comes together in 15 minutes and is so healthy and delicious!
This dish gives me chicken broccoli rice casserole vibes, but is like the more sophisticated older sibling. Plus there is no oven required! Just the stovetop and a microwave. And I wasn’t kidding that it only takes 15 minutes. You could stop at Trader Joe’s on your way home from work to buy all the ingredients, and be eating dinner 15 minutes later. The dream. Plus it isn’t just another freezer meal. There are several elements that you heat up from the freezer, but it feels so much fresher and fancier than a freezer meal! I really think you’ll be a big fan — I can’t wait for you to try it!
This chicken broccoli rice serves three people, but it can vary depending on how you serve it. If it is served as a side, it can be stretched to 4-5 servings! If it is the main course, then it can feed two very hungry people. My favorite is to make this for Connor and me, then eat the leftovers for lunch the next day (this makes great leftovers)!
what ingredients do i need for this dish?
- olive oil
- yellow onion
- garlic
- broccoli
- chicken broth
- brown rice
- chicken
- spinach
- parmesan
- lemon zest
- onion salt
- black pepper
tips & substitutions
The beautiful part about this dish is that we are using several frozen items to speed up the process! I think there is a perception that using frozen foods in cooking makes you a less skilled cook, to which I completely disagree. I think it makes you a smart cook! And if you are busy like I am, sometimes we just need a quick meal.
So, for the brown rice and chicken we are using pre-cooked options. That way, you just have to heat it up in the microwave! If you want to substitute these two with uncooked brown rice and chicken, that is totally fine, you will just need to add time to fully cook each of them. I love using Trader Joe’s brown rice and chicken. They heat up quickly and both have great flavor!
Another key that makes this dish so fast is the order. We start by getting our onion cooking, then adding the garlic, chicken broth, and broccoli. While the broccoli is steaming, heat up the brown rice and chicken in the microwave. Heating both of those should take about the same time it will take to steam the broccoli, about 6 minutes. By doing these at the same time we save time and everything is hot when it needs to be added!
other recipes you will love
- butternut squash, kale, and farro salad
- greek roasted chicken thighs
- creamy tuscan salmon
- spring brown butter gnocchi
chicken broccoli rice
ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups broccoli cut into bite sized pieces
- 10 oz microwave brown rice
- 1 lb cooked chicken
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp onion salt or garlic salt
- zest of one lemon
- black pepper to taste
instructions
- Add olive oil and onion to large pan over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add chicken broth and broccoli, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes. While the broccoli is cooking, microwave the brown rice and chicken according to package instructions.
- Remove the lid from the pan. Most of the chicken broth should be cooked off. Add the hot brown rice and chicken. Add the spinach and stir until the spinach starts to wilt.
- Turn off the stove and add parmesan, onion salt, lemon zest, and black pepper. Stir until the parmesan begins to melt.
- Divide between plates and top with extra parmesan, lemon zest, and black pepper. Enjoy!
- Keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.
Very yummy! I also added a little lemon juice to go with the zest and it tasted great 🙂
ohh i love it — you can never have too much lemon! so glad you enjoyed!!