My cheesy chicken and rice recipe is a real one-pan wonder! Filled with succulent chicken breasts over tender rice, broccoli, cauliflower, cream of chicken, and gooey Velveeta cheese, this stovetop casserole is a weeknight dinner my whole family loves. It’s wonderfully creamy, cheesy, and easy to make in just 25 minutes. I’m so happy to hear it’s become a favorite for so many of your families too!
Top Reader Reviews
Super simple and quick make, very delicious and it was a hit for my family!
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This is one of our favorite recipes ever. It is sooo delicious. My kids adore it! Thank you so much!
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Chicken Breasts over Velveeta, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole
My chicken and cheesy rice is loaded with Velveeta cheese, broccoli, cauliflower, and an array of simple spices that really turn up the flavor on this one pot dish! I added cream of chicken soup to make it extra moist and creamy, plus it infuses the rice with so much flavor. But the gooey Velveeta is the real star, holding this chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole together to make it taste like true comfort.
My kids eat this up without a single complaint every time I make it, which is a real win for me. And as much as my family loves my baked chicken and rice casserole, this quick stovetop chicken breast served over rice is even better for busy weeknights!
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Use the Right Rice
This chicken breast and cheesy rice recipe comes together so fast because we are using instant rice, not a regular white rice. This ingredient difference is super important to the cooking time and final outcome of your dish. Instant rice is cooked and dehydrated before being packaged for the store. This means it can cook in as little as 5 minutes, instead of the typical 25+ minutes for a package of dried/uncooked rice.
One Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice Recipe
Equipment
- 12-inch Pan (with fitted lid)
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (¼ stick)
- 10 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1¾ cups instant white rice (**)
- 1 cup broccoli florets (***)
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 4 ounces Velveeta cheese (cubed)
Instructions
Cook the Chicken:
- Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 thin pieces.
- Season the chicken liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt, ground black pepper
- Melt butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons salted butter
- Once melted, add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until fully browned and nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken and place on a foil-tented plate to keep warm.
Cook the Rice:
- Add the soup, chicken broth, paprika, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine.10 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup, 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir in the rice, broccoli, and cauliflower.1¾ cups instant white rice, 1 cup broccoli florets, 1 cup cauliflower florets, 4 ounces Velveeta cheese
- Add the Velveeta cheese, stirring to melt.
Combine:
- Once Velveeta is melted, return the chicken to the skillet and nestle in the rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the internal temp on the chicken reaches 165°F.
Notes
- Use a 12-inch skillet/pan with a well-fitting lid for best results. Smaller pans simply won’t have enough room to cook the full recipe, though you could halve it for a smaller skillet.
- Velveeta melts much more easily than other cheese options, which is what makes it so great for this quick recipe. If you use another cheese, just be aware that it could affect the cooking time and final texture.
- If you only have regular rice (not instant), I would recommend cooking it as you normally would in a separate pot, then adding it into this dish at the end as instructed. Liquid amounts and cooking times would make it difficult to cook everything in one pan.
- Chicken breasts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F before consuming.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole on the Stovetop Step by Step
Prep the Chicken: Slice 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 thinly-sliced breasts. Then liberally season all sides with salt and pepper.
Brown the Chicken: Add 2 tablespoons of salted butter to a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned but not fully cooked through yet. Remove it from the pan and place it on a plate tented with foil to keep it warm while preparing the next steps.
Make the Sauce: To the same pan, add 10 ounces (1 can) of condensed cream of chicken soup, 1½ cups of chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon of ground paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
Stir in the Rice and Broccoli: Next, stir in 1¾ cups of instant white rice, 1 cup of broccoli florets, and 1 cup of cauliflower florets.
Add Velveeta: Then add 4 ounces of cubed Velveeta cheese, stirring until it’s fully melted. Velveeta melts much more easily than other cheeses, which is part of why I love it for this recipe!
Finish and Serve: Once the Velveeta is melted, return the chicken breasts to the skillet and nestle it in the cheesy rice and broccoli mixture. Place a well-fitted lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the internal temp on the chicken reaches 165°F. Serve chicken breasts over the rice while hot! If you prefer, you can slice up the chicken to make bite-sized pieces that can be mixed in more like a traditional casserole.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover cheesy chicken breast and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat chicken, broccoli, and rice on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
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