• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flavor Mosaic logo

  • Home
  • About Me
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Travel
      • Car Reviews
      • Restaurant Reviews
      • Travel
  • Creative Recipes
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
      • Vegetarian
      • Dinner in Under 30 Minutes
      • Slow Cooker
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers
    • Side Dishes
      • Grains
      • Legumes
      • Pasta
      • Potatoes
      • Vegetables
    • Soups / Salads
      • Green Salads
      • Pasta Salads
      • Potato Salads
      • Soup
    • Cuisine
      • American
      • Asian
      • Cajun
      • French
      • German
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
    • Seasonal Recipes
      • Christmas
      • Cinco De Mayo
      • Fall Recipes
      • Halloween
      • Holiday Baking
      • Holiday Leftover Recipes
      • July 4th
      • New Years
      • Summer
      • Thanksgiving
      • Thanksgiving Desserts
      • Thanksgiving Sides
      • Winter Recipes
    • Seasoning Mixes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Instant Pot Beef Recipes
    • Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
    • Instant Pot Soups
  • Southern Recipes
  • Tex-Mex Recipes

Creative Recipes » Main Dishes » Chicken » Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

Sep 3, 2019 55 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
65.8Kshares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Pinterest Process pin for Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken & Rice Casserole Long Pin Process Pin
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken & Rice Casserole Long Pin
Pinterest Pin for Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole Pin - Flavor Mosaic

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole is creamy cheesy comfort food made with chicken, broccoli, rice and cheese, but made in the Instant Pot for a quick and easy one-pot meal.

Photo of serving of Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole on a white plate.

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

This recipe is perfect when you want delicious cheesy comfort food …. fast! Broccoli Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole or Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole is one of the most popular comfort foods, making it family friendly. For a high protein, whole grain version of this comfort food, it can be found at Chicken Broccoli Cheese Quinoa Casserole on this website.

The difference between this Broccoli Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe and other traditional recipes is that this one is pressure cooked in an Instant Pot pressure cooker making it a one-pot meal that is ready in under 30 minutes!  It is now one of my favorite Instant Pot Recipes.

There are so many things to love about this recipe. 

  1. Comfort Food. It is creamy and cheesy with amazing flavor! It is pure comfort food that feels like you receive a big hug when you eat it.
  2. Flavor. This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is similar to the traditional but includes Worcestershire and Ranch Seasoning Mix to add additional flavor.
  3. Family friendly. It is traditionally a very popular casserole that the whole family can enjoy.
  4. No Canned Soups. It has NO CANNED SOUPS making it a little more wholesome.
  5. Quick and Easy. It is quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker, in which it will be ready in under 30 minutes.
  6. Easy Clean Up. It makes for fast and easy clean up since there is only one pot to wash.
  7. Use Leftover Chicken or Turkey. This is a great recipe to use leftovers. At Thanksgiving, it is a great way to use up leftover turkey.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Recipe?

You will need ingredients that you probably already have in your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry, including chicken breasts, broccoli (fresh or frozen), white rice, onion, garlic, chicken broth, Worcestershire, milk, flour, salt and pepper, and ranch seasoning mix. See the recipe card at the bottom of this article for the detailed list of ingredients with the specified amounts. In addition, see the photograph below of the required ingredients for this recipe.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

And, of course, you can’t forget the cheese! I like to use shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Overhead photo of 2 measuring cups (one white and one purple) filled with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

How To Make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

You will learn how easy it is to make this Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole In the Instant Pot. It takes about half the time as it does in the oven. Below are the step by step instructions, along with step by step photos of how to make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole. For more detailed instructions with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the article. In addition, view the video for more information.

  • Sauté the Chicken, Onions, and Garlic. Using the sauté button on the Instant Pot, cook the chicken and onions together in a little oil for about 4 minutes before pressure cooking. Then add a tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for about a minute.
  • Season The Chicken. Add the salt, pepper, and ranch seasoning mix to the chicken and stir.
  • Add The Liquid. Add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Add The Rice. Add the uncooked white rice and stir until it is covered by the broth. 
  • Pressure cook.  Press cancel to stop the sauté function. Secure the lid. Move the pressure valve to the sealing position. Press the pressure cook button or manual cook button and adjust the time to pressure cook for 5 minutes. (It will take about 8 – 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure before the pressure cooking starts.)

Photo collage of 4 photos showing the step by step process of how to make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole.

  • Make A Slurry. While the Chicken and Rice are cooking, stir together the milk and flour to make a slurry. Set aside until after the chicken and rice have finished pressure cooking.
  • Quick Release. After the Instant Pot has finished the pressure cooking cycle, let it release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then, using a long-handled spoon move the pressure valve to the venting position, to do a quick release of pressure. Carefully, remove the lid.
  • Add Slurry. Immediately pour the milk and flour slurry into the chicken and rice mixture and stir.
  • Add Broccoli. Add the broccoli to the chicken and rice.
  • Add Cheese. Add the shredded cheese to the Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole.
  • Stir. Stir everything together until it is well combined and the broccoli and cheese have been evenly distributed throughout the chicken and rice mixture.

Step By Step Photos of how to make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole

  • When the Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole is finished, it will look like a creamy cheesy broccoli cheese casserole like the photo below.

Close up photo of finished Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken and rice casserole.

FAQs – Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs?

  • Either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs can be used in this recipe. I recommend that whichever one they use that they be boneless and skinless.

Can I use Frozen Chicken?

  • Yes, you can use frozen chicken. Skip the sauté step and use the same amount of time. It may take longer for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. So just be patient.

Can I Skip The Saute Step?

  • Yes, you can skip the sauté step, however, the result may not be quite as flavorful as if you had sautéed first.

Can I Use Brown Rice?

  • Yes, you can use brown rice but will need to make a couple of adjustments. Add an additional 1/4 cup water for each cup of brown rice and increase the pressure cook time to 8 minutes.

Can I Add The Broccoli At the Beginning?

  • The broccoli cooks much faster and may turn to mush if overcooked. To avoid overcooking the broccoli, it is added after the chicken and rice have been pressure-cooked. The heat from the chicken and rice mixture will heat the broccoli and melt the cheese.

Can I Freeze This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole? 

  • I don’t recommend freezing this casserole because the rice and the dairy don’t thaw well. Keep leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole?

  • Green Salad
  • Soup
  • Crusty Bread

Photo of white plate with serving of Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole and salad with Instant Pot in background.

Other Casserole Recipes You May Enjoy

  • Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta – A baked casserole with Chicken, bacon, pasta in a creamy cheesy ranch-flavored sauce.
  • King Ranch Chicken Casserole – A vintage cheesy Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole with layers of tortillas and chicken!

Other Instant Pot Recipes You May Enjoy

  • Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
  • Instant Pot Beef Stew
  • Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

If you like this recipe or make this recipe,  be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe, and follow us on:

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | BlogLovin | Instagram

Photo of serving of Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole on a white plate.
Print Pin
4.73 from 29 votes

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole is creamy cheesy comfort food made with chicken, broccoli, rice and cheese, but made in the Instant Pot for a quick and easy one-pot meal.
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Pressurization Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 543kcal
Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Equipment

  • 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo60 from Amazon.com (affiliate link)

Ingredients

Add BEFORE Pressure Cooking

  • 2 Tablespoons oil
  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (See Note Below)
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 packet ranch seasoning mix
  • 1-1/2 cups white rice (See Note Below)
  • 2-1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire

Add AFTER Pressure Cooking

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1-1/2 cups frozen broccoli (See Note Below)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot. Wait until the front of the Instant Pot says "Hot," then add oil. When oil is hot, add the chicken breast cubes and chopped onion. Cook until the chicken is mostly white instead of pink and the onion is softened, about 3 - 4 minutes.
  • Then add a tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for about a minute.
  • Add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pot with a spatula to remove any food particles to prevent them from scorching.
  • Add the uncooked white rice, and salt, pepper, and ranch seasoning mix. Do not stir.
  • Press cancel to stop the sauté function. Secure the lid. Move the pressure valve to the sealing position. Press the pressure cook button or manual cook button, select high pressure, and adjust the time to pressure cook for 5 minutes. (It will take about 8 - 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure before the pressure cooking starts.)
  • While the Chicken and Rice are cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the milk and flour to make a slurry. Set aside until after the chicken and rice have finished pressure cooking.
  • While the chicken and rice are cooking, run hot water over the frozen broccoli to thaw. Drain the broccoli.
  • After the Instant Pot has finished the pressure cooking cycle, let it release pressure naturally for 10 minutes and then, using a long-handled spoon move the pressure valve to the venting position, to do a quick release of pressure. Wait for the pin to drop. Then carefully, remove the lid.
  • Immediately pour the milk and flour slurry into the chicken and rice mixture and stir.
  • Add the thawed broccoli to the chicken and rice.
  • Add the shredded cheese to the Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole.
  • Stir everything together until it is well combined and the broccoli and cheese have been evenly distributed throughout the chicken and rice mixture.

Video

Notes

  1. Use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs as long as they are boneless and skinless and cut into cubes.
  2. I recommend rinsing the rice before adding to the Instant Pot. I have experienced better results with the texture of the rice when I have done that.
  3. To use brown rice instead of white rice, increase time to 8 minutes and increase water by 1/4 cup for each 1 cup of brown rice.
  4. I used frozen broccoli. Before adding the broccoli to the casserole, rinse the broccoli in hot water to thaw. 
  5. Don't add broccoli at the same time as the chicken it will overcook. 
  6. Add broccoli only after the chicken and rice have finished cooking. The heat of the chicken and rice mixture will heat the broccoli and melt the cheese.
  7. To avoid getting the "Burn" message, be sure to deglaze the pot after browning the chicken and cooking the garlic by adding the liquid and scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any food particles that might scorch. Secondly, do not stir the rice and other ingredients. Add the ingredients in the order specified but do not stir. This will also help to prevent receiving the Burn notice.

Nutrition

Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 728mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 586IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 2mg

Filed Under: Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken Recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, Trending Recipes Tagged With: broccoli, casseroles, cheddar cheese, Chicken Broccoli rice casserole, dinner, rice

DISCLOSURE: Flavor Mosaic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Please note: This blog may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, to help with blog expenses when you make a purchase through an affiliate link. Thank you for your support!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deanna Stone says

    April 7, 2020 at 8:17 pm

    Would this dish be ok to freeze?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      April 8, 2020 at 3:39 pm

      You can freeze it but I don’t recommend it because the dairy does not thaw well.

      Reply
  2. Sarah says

    April 8, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    Oh my gosh…SO GOOD! We ended up not having white rice as I thought, so my husband added orzo. It’s amazing. We will make with that again. Thank you so much. A new family favorite!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      April 8, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Sarah,

      I’m so glad you liked it. That is a great idea to add orzo. I’m happy to know that worked. Thanks so much for providing the feedback. Be sure to check out our other recipes as well.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
    • Monica says

      December 13, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      Did you cook for the same amount of time when using the orzo?

      Reply
  3. Eric says

    May 7, 2020 at 11:58 pm

    Does increasing the chicken to rice ratio affect cooking times? I doubled the recipe but Next time I’d like to have less rice. It still tastes amazing but I’d like a higher protein ratio.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      May 11, 2020 at 6:23 pm

      Did you double everything and just leave the time the same?

      Reply
  4. Rachel says

    May 12, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    Is this for instant rice?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      May 12, 2020 at 7:11 pm

      Hi Rachael,

      No it is not for Instant Rice. It is for regular white rice. The rice cooks not only for the pressure cook time but for the whole time when it comes up to pressure and then the time when it releases pressure also.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
      • Sarah C says

        June 12, 2020 at 8:56 pm

        Great meal but the rice didn’t seem to fully cook. Even with the crunchy broccoli we could tell the rice was still a bit crunchy too. Any thoughts on how to get the rice thoroughly cooked?

        Reply
        • Michele says

          June 12, 2020 at 9:11 pm

          Hi Sarah,

          The type of rice you use and the model of the Instant Pot can affect the cooking time. Brown rice will take longer. So if it was still crunchy, then pressure cook it a few minutes longer, maybe add 3 minutes. Next time if the rice is still crunchy, you can put the lid back on and add pressure cook a few more minutes.

          Thanks,

          Michele

          Reply
  5. Deb says

    May 16, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    THIS recipe is awesome! My roommate loved it ❤️ She’s my official tester and it’s a do over! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and wouldn’t change anything but maybe a stronger cheese ❤️

    Reply
    • Michele says

      May 16, 2020 at 6:49 pm

      Hi Deb, I’m so happy you and your roommate liked it! Be sure to check out our other recipes too!

      Reply
  6. Jennifer says

    May 27, 2020 at 1:20 pm

    I have some great fresh broccoli any ideas on how to handle it. Should I boil and blanch?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      May 28, 2020 at 6:00 pm

      Hi Jennifer,

      I would recommend boiling water on top of the stove and then blanching the broccoli for about 3 minutes to 5 minutes.

      Michele

      Reply
  7. Jamie says

    July 8, 2020 at 2:11 pm

    Are you able to use fresh broccoli?? Would it be the same instructions if it was fresh?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      July 8, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      Hi Jamie,

      I recommend boiling water on top of the stove and then blanching the broccoli for about 3 minutes to 5 minutes. This can be done while everything else is cooking in the Instant Pot.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  8. Janii says

    July 13, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    Awesome! We added a half of a garlic herb packet instead of the ranch and it came out wonderful! Thank you for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      July 13, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      Hi Janii,

      I’m so glad you liked it. The garlic herb seasoning sounds delicious. Great idea. Thanks for the nice comment. Be sure to check out our other Instant Pot recipes too!

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  9. Lacie says

    July 22, 2020 at 11:57 am

    This was delicious! I used fresh, blanched brocolli. And I also had to pressure cook an extra 3 minutes due to rice still being crunchy. Also, i added some fresh parmesan on top and hot sauce of course! Will make again.

    Reply
  10. Sam says

    October 5, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    My husband and I both LOVED this dish! Definitely recommend & will be cooking this again 🙂 Thank you!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      October 5, 2020 at 5:09 pm

      Hi Sam,

      I’m so glad you liked the recipe. We love this one too. Thanks for the kind words.

      Michele

      Reply
  11. Debbie says

    January 1, 2021 at 11:40 am

    Hi,
    I have a jar of ranch seasoning rather than a packet. How much seasoning should I measure out of the jar ( as opposed to half a packet)
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Michele says

      January 1, 2021 at 3:04 pm

      Hi Debbie,

      I would use 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  12. Jonessa says

    January 11, 2021 at 11:29 am

    Can you use riced cauliflower instead of rice?

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Me

Hi, I’m Michele, a home cook with 20+ years experience. I created Flavor Mosaic as a place to share our favorite fast, easy, and flavorful creative recipes with bold flavors, including Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes. Read More…

Follow Me

Follow FlavorMosaic on Facebook Follow @FlavorMosaic on Instagram Follow FlavorMosaic on Pinterest Follow @FlavorMosaic on Twitter Subscribe to FlavorMosaic's RSS Feed

Search Flavor Mosaic

Logos of websites that have featured recipes from FlavorMosaic.com

Trending Recipes

These Easy Strawberry Crumb Bar Recipe
This Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is an easy one-pot comfort food meal that can be ready in 30 minutes by using your Instant Pot!
Big white bowl of a thick beef stew with potatoes, carrots, celery and chopped parsley.
Eggroll In A Bowl (AKA Crack Slaw) sitting on w white plate with blue background.
Crock Pot Chuck Roast with Vegetables

Thanksgiving Recipes

Pumpkin Praline Bread Pudding Fall Dessert
Photo of glass bowl with broccoli salad with cranberries, bacon and cheddar cheese on white marble countertop
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows with a spoon lifting sweet potatoes out of casserole dish
Blueberry-Strawberry-French-Toast-Casserole
Copyright © 2021 Flavor Mosaic · All Rights Reserved