Broccoli Chicken Rice (Instant Pot)
When you need a great weeknight meal, this mouthwatering Chicken Broccoli Rice is a must. Chicken Broccoli Rice will satisfy your cravings while providing all the nutrients your body needs, and an easy method for preparing it.
Succulent chicken is seasoned to perfection then mixed with fluffy, aromatic rice, fresh, crisp broccoli, and sharp cheese. Every bite is packed with flavor!
Whether you’re a busy parent looking for a quick dinner solution, or just want something tasty this Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice is an easy and convenient way to enjoy a nutritious and delicious meal anytime, anywhere.
Serve with Lion House Rolls and Chocolate Cake (Classic) for a great meal.
Broccoli chicken rice is an easy to make, delicious meal, and one that is regularly part of our dinner rotation because it is nutritious, easy to make, versatile and customizable, as well as budget-friendly:
- Nutritious: While we love the ease and convenience of a quick meal, we also want it to be good for us too. Broccoli chicken rice is a nutritious meal with a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. The chicken is a great source of protein, the broccoli is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And the rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Basically it is a great meal that tastes good and is good for you.
- Easy to make: Convenience is key here. And this broccoli chicken rice recipe is a simple and easy meal to make, especially when you use the Instant Pot. It requires only a few ingredients and can be prepared in under 30 minutes. That is a weeknight win.
- Versatile: Having a larger family, I know how difficult it can be to find meals everyone likes. This broccoli chicken rice is a versatile dish that is amazing on its own, but can also be customized to suit your taste preferences. Add other vegetables, use different spices and herbs to enhance the flavor, swap out the protein. Make it your own.
- Budget-friendly: Everyone knows good food is good but can be expensive, and this recipe is affordable and delicious. It offers high flavor and nutrition with relatively inexpensive ingredients that can be bought in bulk and stored for later use.
- Meal prep friendly: Busy nights happen to all of us, and this particular recipe is incredibly meal prep friendly. Make it ahead and enjoy it later. It stores in the refrigerator well, and reheats nicely, making it a convenient make ahead meal.
What You Need to Make Chicken Broccoli Rice
This flavorful and delicious Instant Pot Recipe is an excellent option for a meal, and is loaded with easy to find ingredients and pantry staples. Chances are you already have much of what you need to make broccoli chicken and rice:
- Olive Oil
- Unsalted Butter
- Chicken Breast
- Onion
- Garlic
- Seasonings: Kosher Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Dried Oregano, Dried Thyme, Onion Powder
- Long Grain White Rice
- Chicken Broth
- Chicken Bouillon
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Dijon Mustard
- Frozen Broccoli Florets
Recommended Equipment
- 6 Qt or Larger Instant Pot
- Wooden Spoon
Why Use a Pressure Cooker
This recipe can be made on the stove top and even in the oven, but I love the convenience and ease of using the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Here are some of the benefits of using this convenient cooking method:
- Time-saving: Using the Instant Pot makes this meal come together a lot faster than traditional cooking methods, which means you can have a delicious, home-cooked meal on the table in a fraction of the time. And without sacrificing flavor.
- Versatility: The Instant Pot is a multi-functional appliance which means you can both sear your chicken and cook your rice to fluffy perfection in the same pot, cutting down on dishes.
- Consistency: The Instant Pot provides consistent cooking results every time, which means you can let the kids help, and you know it will turn out.
- Healthier cooking: The Instant Pot requires less oil and fat to cook, which means reduced calories and still great tasting food.
- Hands-off: Busy moms like me need to be able to get dinner on the table without having to be hands on the whole time, and the pressure cooker makes it easy to just get everything in, and let the pot do the work.
Overall, cooking in an Instant Pot is a great way to get dinner on the table fast and easily. If you are new to instant pot cooking, read this Guide to Instant Pot which will help you feel confident in the kitchen.
How to Make Broccoli Chicken Rice in the Instant Pot
With just a few easy steps, you can make this broccoli chicken rice in the instant pot, and while the instructions may seem long, it is really quite simple. Here’s how:
Step One: Prep Chicken
The first step is simply to prep and get a sear on the chicken. There are a few things that make this easier, like patting the chicken dry first so you can get that golden brown crust.
- Cube chicken breasts, and pat dry. You want them to be as dry as possible so you can get a nice sear on them in the instant pot.
- In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning ingredients, and use it to season the chicken.
- Turn Instant Pot on the Sauté setting, and let it heat up.
- When it reads as hot, add half of the olive oil and butter.
- Add the chicken. And sear it on all sides, for 1-2 minutes a side.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, and set aside. It should NOT be cooked through, but should be slightly browned on the exterior.
Step Two: Build Flavor and Add Rice
The next step is to get the rice in the pan, but to do this you want to build some flavor with some onions and garlic, and then make sure the pot won’t read “burn” while you cook, so you have to deglaze the pan. Once you do that, you just add the rice so you can cook it.
- Add in the remaining olive oil and butter, and the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, and starting to turn translucent. Then add the garlic and stir. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Add broth to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits off the pan and deglaze it so it does not read “burn”
- Turn off “saute” mode, and add the chicken back in, as well as the rice.
- Gently press the rice into the broth, so it is all submerged.
Step Three: Cook Everything
Your next step is to cook the food. This is far simpler than it looks, it is more about knowing the timing, and paying attention to your pressure cooker so that you get perfectly cooked results.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it into place. Set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position.
- Turn onto manual pressure cook on high, and set the time to 3 minutes.
- The pot should take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Meanwhile, take your frozen broccoli, and run it under hot water, so it is no longer frozen. Drain all the water off, and set aside.
- When the Instant Pot cook cycle has finished, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (pot should read L 00:10). Then turn the steam release knob to the “Venting” position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops back down, unlock and open the lid, opening away from yourself so you do not get burned.
Step Four: Add Remaining Ingredients
Once your rice and chicken are cooked through, you finish your dish off with the extras. This enhances flavor and nutrition, and is so simple.
- At this point, add your dijon mustard, chicken bouillon, broccoli and cheese, and stir to combine.
- Close the lid of the pot, and let it sit for 4-5 minutes to allow cheese to melt fully and broccoli to heat through. If it is not heating as fast as you want, you can turn on the “saute” feature, but keep a close eye so as not to burn anything.
Step Five: Stir, Season, Serve
Take the lid off and stir, then serve! This is pretty self explanatory, the main thing here is to taste your dish, and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Serve With
This recipe is so perfect for dinner on any night of the week, and I love pairing it with:
Tips and Tricks
Making this recipe is Eazy Peazy, but here are a few tips for getting great results every time:
- Use the correct ratio of liquid to rice: Measure it out, and make sure the rice is submerged into the liquid so it cooks up nice and fluffy, and doesn’t leave you with crunchy results.
- Brown the chicken: If you want really flavorful broccoli chicken rice, start with the chicken. You could skip the searing step and just let the chicken cook while you cook the rice, but searing it is going to build and add flavor. So take this extra step and brown the chicken in the Instant Pot before cooking the rest. It also helps to seal in the juices and keep the chicken moist.
- Use the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting: While the Instant Pot has lots of presets for cooking certain foods, this recipe skips those. Instead set your Instant Pot to the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and cook as directed.
- Natural release the pressure: Once the cooking time is up, you want to let the pot naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Pay attention during this time, then use the quick release method to finish releasing the pressure. This will help to prevent the rice from becoming overcooked.
- Add the broccoli: Broccoli does not require a lot of cook time, so you have to add it at the end and let the residual heat cook it, that helps it stay crisp tender, rather than overcooking it to mush.
- Fluff your rice: Once the cooking is complete, let the rice rest for a few minutes then fluff it, this will help it to absorb any remaining liquid and become more tender.
- Season to taste: This broccoli chicken rice has tons of flavor, but should still be customized to your preferences, so before serving, taste and season to taste with salt, pepper, and any other desired herbs or spices.
Make Ahead and Storage
One of the perks of this easy dinner recipe is it can be made ahead. How to make this recipe ahead of time:
- Cook according to directions.
- After cooking, let the chicken broccoli rice cool to room temperature. Store within 2 hours of cooking to prevent bacterial growth.
- Once cooled, transfer the chicken broccoli rice to an airtight container.
- Store the container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- When you’re ready to eat, reheat the chicken broccoli rice by removing it from the refrigerator and transferring it to a sauce pan or microwave-safe dish.
- Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. For stovetop, place the chicken broccoli rice in a saucepan and add a splash of water or broth. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Note: An airtight container is key to storage, as it helps to prevent your recipe from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods in the refrigerator.
Other Great Recipes:
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
- Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Piccata
- Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken Rolls
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Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil divided
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter divided
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Breast cubed
- 1 Onion chopped, medium
- 2 cloves Garlic
Seasonings
- 1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt or 3/4 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
The Rest
- 1 1/2 cups Long Grain White Rice well rinsed
- 2 ½ cups Chicken Broth low sodium
- 1 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon
- 2 1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 lbs Frozen Broccoli Florets
Instructions
- Cube chicken breasts, and pat dry. You want them to be as dry as possible so you can get a nice sear on them in the instant pot.
- In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning ingredients, and use it to season the chicken.
- Turn Instant Pot on the Sauté setting, and let it heat up.
- When it reads as hot, add half of the olive oil and butter.
- Add the chicken. And sear it on all sides, for 1-2 minutes a side.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, and set aside. It should NOT be cooked through, but should be slightly browned on the exterior.
- Add in the remaining olive oil and butter, and the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, and starting to turn translucent. Then add the garlic and stir. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Add broth to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits off the pan and deglaze it so it does not read “burn”
- Turn off “saute” mode, and add the chicken back in, as well as the rice.
- Gently press the rice into the broth, so it is all submerged.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it into place. Set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position.
- Turn onto manual pressure cook on high, and set the time to 3 minutes.
- The pot should take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Meanwhile, take your frozen broccoli, and run it under hot water, so it is no longer frozen. Drain all the water off, and set aside.
- When the Instant Pot cook cycle has finished, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (pot should read L 00:10). Then turn the steam release knob to the “Venting” position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops back down, unlock and open the lid, opening away from yourself so you do not get burned.
- At this point, add your dijon mustard, chicken bouillon, broccoli and cheese, and stir to combine.
- Close the lid of the pot, and let it sit for 4-5 minutes to allow cheese to melt fully and broccoli to heat through. If it is not heating as fast as you want, you can turn on the “saute” feature, but keep a close eye so as not to burn anything.
- Take the lid off and stir, then serve!
Notes
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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