Cheesy chicken, broccoli and rice bake
Everything goes into one dish raw and comes out as creamy, cheesy chicken and rice, the casserole you’ll be glad to find in the fridge tomorrow.
- 90 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.71 a serving
- 660 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, long-grain
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cups frozen broccoli, no need to thaw
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 660 calories, 51 g protein, 47 g carbs and 29 g fat, and costs about $2.71 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No long-grain white rice? Jasmine rice or basmati rice works.
- No chicken broth? Vegetable broth or bone broth works.
- No milk? Half-and-half works.
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No boneless chicken thighs? Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work.
- No frozen broccoli? Broccoli works.
- No shredded cheddar? Cheddar cheese or mexican blend cheese or monterey jack cheese works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 375°F and set out a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
the rice in a strainer under cold water for about 30 seconds, until the water runs mostly clear.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
the broth, milk, cornstarch, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper together right in the baking dish.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Dolly’s tip: Whisk the cornstarch in while everything is cold. It turns into a creamy sauce as it bakes, with no lumps.in the rice and chicken and spread them out evenly, making sure all the rice is under the liquid.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Dolly’s tip: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after cutting raw chicken.Cover the dish tightly with foil, pinching it around the edges so no steam escapes, and for 55 minutes.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Timer: 55 min
Dolly’s tip: Don’t peek. The trapped steam is what cooks the rice.Carefully pull back the foil, starting from the far side, and in the frozen broccoli.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Dolly’s tip: The steam that rushes out is very hot, so open the side away from you first.Sprinkle the cheddar over the top and uncovered for 15 minutes, until the cheese is and the rice is tender.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 15 min
Food safety: Chicken is done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Let it sit for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and , then scoop onto plates.
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Timer: 5 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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