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cheesy chicken and rice
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4.60 from 54 votes

One Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice Recipe

My 25-minute cheesy chicken and rice recipe is a one-pan stovetop casserole filled with chicken breasts, tender rice, broccoli, cauliflower, cream of chicken soup, and gooey Velveeta cheese!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 483kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

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.
    Slicing a chicken breast in half lengthwise.
  • Season the chicken liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.
    2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt, ground black pepper
    Four thinly-sliced chicken breasts on a cutting board.
  • Melt butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat.
    2 tablespoons salted butter
    Cubes of butter melting in a pan.
  • 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.
    Four seared chicken breasts in a pan.

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
    Stirring creamy broth mixture in a pan.
  • Stir in the rice, broccoli, and cauliflower.
    1¾ cups instant white rice, 1 cup broccoli florets, 1 cup cauliflower florets, 4 ounces Velveeta cheese
    Stirring broccoli, cauliflower, and rice into a creamy mixture.
  • Add the Velveeta cheese, stirring to melt.
    Blocks of Velveeta cheese melting into a pan of rice and broccoli.

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.
    Chicken breasts cooking in a pan with a cheesy Velveeta mixture, rice, and broccoli.

Video

Notes

*This recipe was created using boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half. You can start with any thinly-sliced chicken breasts or cutlets. You can also cube the chicken if you prefer bite-sized pieces.
**Make sure you're using instant rice for this recipe, not regular white rice. Regular dry rice will not cook through in the time instructed.
***To use frozen broccoli and/or cauliflower, simply thaw the veggies before adding them to the pan.
Tips:
  • 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.
Storage: Store cheesy chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1200mg | Potassium: 809mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 822IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 4mg