Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole is a comforting and healthy one-pot meal featuring tender chicken breasts, brown rice, and vibrant broccoli cooked to perfection with savory herbs and cheeses. It’s an easy-to-make recipe ideal for busy weeknights, delivering rich flavors and creamy texture using wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed and drained (do NOT substitute white rice or any other type of rice)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 pound broccoli, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, optional, for extra creaminess
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker Base: Place the chopped onion, brown rice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper into the bottom of the slow cooker. This creates the flavorful rice bed for the dish.
- Add Broth and Stir: Pour in the low sodium chicken broth over the rice and seasonings, then stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Add Chicken: Lay the boneless skinless chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture. Sprinkle additional black pepper over the chicken for extra seasoning.
- Slow Cook the Mixture: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. The chicken should be fully cooked through and the rice will have absorbed almost all the broth. Cooking time may vary; in this recipe it took about 3 hours.
- Prepare Broccoli: When the slow cooking is almost complete, cook the broccoli separately by steaming it on the stove, microwaving, or roasting in the oven. Steaming on the stove provides the best texture and color. Alternatively, add broccoli to the slow cooker during the last hour for a softer texture and less vibrant color.
- Remove and Cut Chicken: Once cooking is finished, carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces.
- Add Creamy Ingredients to Rice: Stir the plain Greek yogurt (if using), grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese into the rice mixture in the slow cooker until combined.
- Combine All Components: Return the cut chicken pieces and cooked broccoli to the slow cooker, stir everything together thoroughly, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use long grain brown rice as specified; do not substitute with white rice or other rice types for proper texture and cooking time.
- Steaming broccoli separately preserves its bright green color and texture better than cooking it in the slow cooker.
- Adding Greek yogurt is optional but adds extra creaminess without overpowering the dish.
- Cooking times may vary based on slow cooker model; check chicken for doneness before serving.
- This recipe can be doubled if using a larger slow cooker, adjusting cooking time as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
