Description
Skip the takeout and let your crockpot do the work. This cheesy chicken broccoli rice is so creamy and comforting, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making it forever.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 12 oz)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Coat 6-quart crockpot with cooking spray. Place chicken cubes in bottom and season with half the salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme.
- Add diced onions and garlic on top of chicken. Spread rinsed rice evenly over chicken mixture. Pour chicken broth over everything, ensuring all rice is submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2 hours, until rice is almost tender and chicken is cooking through.
- Stir mixture gently. Whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch in a small bowl, then pour into crockpot along with butter. Stir to combine.
- Add broccoli florets, pressing them slightly into the mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30-45 minutes until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender.
- Turn crockpot to WARM setting. Stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted. Top with remaining cheese and cover for 5 minutes to melt.
- Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.