Today we present an appetizing recipe that your guests will taste and be delighted with it. It is the recipe to cook the exquisite Cheesy Chicken and rice following the straightforward directions you will find below. Casseroles are a great solution for dinner and most of them are simple to make using the ingredients you have on hand. Once the casserole is in the oven, you have time to make a side dish and set the table before it is time to eat.
This creamy Cheesy Chicken and rice dish is very nutritive. The rice is coated with a from-scratch, savory cheesy sauce and the tender chicken creates one irresistible, creamy chicken dish. You may visit https://minuterice.com/recipes/cheesy-chicken-and-rice/ in case you want to know more about it.
Now let’s go for it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 cups of broccoli florets
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
With these amounts of ingredients you get 4 complete servings.
Helpful tips on ingredients
For better results, you may consider the following:
- Chicken: You can also use boneless skinless thighs, also cut into pieces.
- Broccoli: Be sure that broccoli is actually fresh and cut into bite size florets. Also, frozen broccoli will work.
- Rice: Preferably use long grain rice, even though medium grain rice will work as well. In case of using brown rice, take into account that it will require more broth and longer time to cook.
- Onion and garlic: Use preferably these essential flavor enhancers fresh, even though you can substitute the garlic with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Cheese: The best to use in the recipe is freshly grated cheddar cheese for all that cheesy goodness. If not at hand, you can substitute it with Colby or Monterey Jack.
- Liquids: Some chicken broth and a can of cream of chicken soup is the best. If you do not have them or cannot find cream of chicken soup, you can make your own.
- Seasoning: For seasoning you just add some salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
This simple chicken and rice casserole is easy to prepare, tastes great, and delights just about every palate. It is rice coated with a from-scratch, savory cheesy sauce, and the tender chicken creates one irresistible, creamy chicken dish. Just follow these directions so that you cook a delicious dish, loaded with broccoli, chicken and melted cheddar cheese.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Next, melt butter in the same saucepan on medium heat.
- Add flour and whisk until smooth and lightly bubbling.
- Add garlic salt and onion powder.
- Slowly mix in chicken broth and milk on medium high heat until simmering.
- Stir in rice and broccoli.
- Top with chicken and sprinkle with cheese.
- Cover the recipient and let cook for 5 minutes or until rice is tender and broccoli is cooked through.
The preparation time is about 10 mins, while the cook time takes 1 hr 30 mins. So the total time of the recipe is 1 hr 40 mins. But the beauty of this recipe is that it is all cooked in one saucepan, and it is super quick.
Recipe tips
There are some aspects to be considered to get the best results when you decide to cook the recipe. Some of them are:
- To reduce the cook time, you can use 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken in place of the raw chicken breast.
- If you have leftover, roasted vegetables on hand, use 2 cups instead of broccoli.
- Broccoli can be substituted with different options like, for example, red pepper, spinach, cauliflower or asparagus. That is in case broccoli is not your favorite vegetable.
- You can add another half cup of cheese, if you like making the recipe extra cheesy, or mix in a dollop of sour cream for more creaminess.
This is a recipe quick and simple to prepare, and, also, it is easy to modify in order to please the different palates. It is a mixture of warm and creamy rice, and the chicken always turns out perfectly moist, never dry.
What to serve with this dish?
This cheesy chicken and rice casserole can be served with cooked vegetables on the side during winter, and with a large salad garden in the summer months. Not only does this cheesy chicken and rice casserole taste good, the aroma fills the whole house while cooking it will and have everyone asking when dinner will be ready.
Indeed, this dish can be considered a comfort food, because of its flavor, its ease to prepare and the nutritive elements it provides.
