Name: One Pan Chicken Broccoli and Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (divided); kosher salt and black pepper; 2-3 teaspoons olive oil; 1/2 medium yellow onion (chopped); 1 cup long-grain white rice; 2-3 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked); 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 8-10 ounces broccoli florets (chopped small); 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; fresh lemon and/or parsley (optional garnish)

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A one pan dinner is always a win, and this creamy chicken, broccoli, and rice skillet is the perfect example. Everything cooks together on the stovetop, with a simple homemade sauce, plenty of Parmesan, and a sprinkle of lemon to keep the flavor bright and fresh. It’s an easy dinner with lots of flavor and little work!

A Note from Monica

Why you’ll love this family favorite!

A dinner the whole family can happily enjoy, with just one pot to wash afterward? That’s a weeknight win! This one pan chicken broccoli and rice recipe combines tender chicken, fluffy rice, and vibrant broccoli in one cozy, comforting meal that’s sure to please kids and adults alike.

Made with simple, everyday ingredients—no condensed soup—this skillet is hearty, satisfying, and easy to pull together on busy nights. It’s the kind of reliable family dinner that just makes life simpler and better. But don’t worry: for something so unfussy, it still has lots of flavor, thanks to a few fundamental aromatics and spices that ensure every bite tastes delicious.

If you love this one pot concept, try this unstuffed peppers skillet or my curry cashew chicken with rice next. So good!

Ingredient Notes

Overhead image of ingredients for a chicken broccoli rice casserole.

Chicken breasts are my default for this one pan wonder, but chicken thighs are also excellent and even a bit more forgiving if they spend a little longer on the stovetop. Either way, you want the boneless, skinless variety.
Fresh broccoli florets become beautifully tender when chopped small and added to the skillet partway through the cooking time. This timing is key: add them too early, and they become mush, but add too late and they won’t cook through before the rice is done.
Long-grain white rice is the starchy backbone here. It will turn tender and a bit creamy when simmered in seasoned broth plus a light touch of cream.
Ample seasoning is essential to infuse these everyday workhorse ingredients with aroma and flavor. Onion and garlic are the base; Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper round things out.

Variations

Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Add it along with the broccoli, since it only needs a few minutes to warm through. In this scenario you would just start with a quick sauté of the onions.
Toss in extra veggies. Sliced mushrooms, chopped bell pepper, peas, or cauliflower work well. Toss in most of these alongside the chopped onion, but add peas later, with or in place of the broccoli florets.
Add more cheese. A sprinkling of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or another favorite quick-melting cheese on top during the last few minutes of warming time will make this dish even more creamy and rich.

Step-by-Step Visuals

This skillet’s layers build flavor one component at a time, so not one bit of seasoning goes down the drain. As always, find full directions with amounts and cook times in the recipe card below, and a visual overview here:

Cut cubes of chicken breast seasoned and sauteed in a large enameled skillet.

Step 1: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with a generous sprinkle of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Begin to sauté the chicken in a light drizzle of olive oil, then add chopped yellow onion to the pan. At this stage, the chicken is just beginning to brown and the onion just beginning to soften—both will stay in the pan throughout the recipe and have plenty of time to cook through.

Broth and seasonings added to skillet along with chicken and onion.

Step 2: Add garlic and more dry seasonings—Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper. As soon as these become fragrant, pour broth over the mixture. Follow by quickly stirring in the rinsed, uncooked rice. Bring liquid to a rapid simmer and stir well to be sure no rice is stuck to the bottom. A sauté spatula or spoonula is the perfect tool for this.

Step 3: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 8 minutes. Do not lift the lid during the phase, even to check or stir very briefly! The key to making this work is to keep the heat relatively low during this time, so the rice doesn’t stick, while trapping all of the liquid inside, where the rice can absorb it. In my first test of this recipe, I opened the lid several times to stir, and it was a big fail—too much liquid escaped, and the cooking times were all askew.

Broccoli tossed over a skillet chicken and rice casserole dish.

Step 4: After the skillet simmers for 8 minutes, quickly remove the lid to toss in the broccoli florets, which should be chopped fairly small. Stir them in, scrape the bottom again to loosen any granules of rice, and return the lid right away. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes.

Cream and Parmesan tossed in with a casserole of chicken, rice, and broccoli to simmer and thicken.

Step 5: After the broccoli has been in for 5 minutes or so, start checking the dish frequently. When both the broccoli and rice are tender, it’s ready to go! Remove the lid and stir in cream and Parmesan.

Chicken broccoli and rice in a deep enameled skillet with grated Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Step 6: Once the cream and Parmesan are well incorporated, sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste. This is the best time to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, too, so the flavor is light and bright. Fresh parsley or other herbs also finish things off nicely.

Recipe Tips

Watch the cook time and don’t be afraid to adjust. One pot dishes do need some minding to be certain they cook through properly—if the rice is still crunchy even after the broccoli has been in for ~5 minutes, don’t hesitate to give it more time, adding extra liquid if needed.

If you’re in a hurry, you may be tempted to crank up the heat—don’t do it! Everything needs time to simmer gently to achieve the right texture, especially the rice. Increasing the heat will just mean your liquid simmers off and/or your rice sticks to the bottom.