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.
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.
Table of Contents
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole
- What Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Recipe?
- How To Make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole
- FAQs – Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole
- What To Serve With Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole?
- Other Casserole Recipes You May Enjoy
- Other Instant Pot Recipes You May Enjoy
- Recipe
- Reviews
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole
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.
- 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.
- Flavor. This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is similar to the traditional but includes Worcestershire and Ranch Seasoning Mix to add additional flavor.
- Family friendly. It is traditionally a very popular casserole that the whole family can enjoy.
- No Canned Soups. It has NO CANNED SOUPS making it a little more wholesome.
- 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.
- Easy Clean Up. It makes for fast and easy clean up since there is only one pot to wash.
- 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.
And, of course, you can’t forget the cheese! I like to use 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
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
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!
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole – An easy family friendly chicken casserole with chicken pasta, bacon and ranch seasoning.
Other Instant Pot Recipes You May Enjoy
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Recipe
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole
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 stir.
- Then add 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
- Use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs as long as they are boneless and skinless and cut into cubes.
- 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.
- To use brown rice instead of white rice, increase time to 8 minutes and increase the water by 1/4 cup for each 1 cup of brown rice.
- I used frozen broccoli. Before adding the broccoli to the casserole, rinse the broccoli in hot water to thaw.
- Don’t add broccoli at the same time as the chicken it will overcook.
- 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.
- 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. Add the seasonings in the order specified but do not stir. This will also help to prevent receiving the Burn notice.
Angelina says
Incredibly delicious! I made a few adjustments. I added a few roughly chopped Crimini mushrooms, and used low sodium Worstershire Sauce & chicken broth. I used Brown Rice. I made this on the stovetop, instead of in my Instant Pot, since not all recipes require ‘pressure cooking’.
Michele says
Hi Angelina, I’m so glad you liked it. I bet the mushrooms were a delicious addition. I love the versatility of this recipe.
Renee says
Wondering about making this with fresh broccoli. Do you still add it afterwards? Don’t want it to be raw.
Michele says
Hi Renee, yes, you can make it with fresh broccoli. However, I find broccoli cooks very fast in an Instant Pot and usually will be overcooked and turned into mush. Therefore, I recommend cooking the fresh broccoli in boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes to blanche it and then add it to the casserole afterward. This can be done while the chicken and rice are being pressure cooked.
Carrie Latta says
I don’t have ranch seasoning! Any ideas for subs? Onion soup mix?
Michele says
Hi Carrie, if you don’t have Ranch Seasoning Mix, you could make your own if you have the ingredients. Here is a recipe. https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-ranch-seasoning-mix/ If you don’t have all of those ingredients, you could use the Onion soup mix. It will provide a difference flavor, but I bet it would taste good. I would recommend not using too much of it because I would be concerned that it might overwhelm the dish. Give it a try and let me know how it works.
Ann says
Can I double it in a 6qt instant pot
Michele says
Hi Ann, I think doubling the recipe would go over the 2/3 line and be too much to make in one Instant Pot, based on my experience with a 6 qt.
Gregg says
Do yourself a favor and steam the broccoli first. Adding fresh broccoli at the end isn’t enough cook time.
Michele says
Hi Gregg, the recipe as written worked perfectly with frozen broccoli. If using fresh broccoli, I recommend to either blanche or steam before adding it in.
Danyelle says
This has been my favorite instant pot recipe so far. So good and so easy. Boyfriend says we should have it 3 times a week!
Michele says
Hi Danyelle, I’m very happy to hear that. Thank you so much for the kind comment. Be sure to check out our other Instant Pot recipes as well.
Denise Ditch says
are you using instant rice ?
Michele says
Hi Denise, Thanks for leaving a comment. No, I did not use instant rice. I used long grain white rice. Be sure to follow the recommendation in the notes to rinse the rice before adding. If you use a different type of rice, such as brown rice or wild rice, then the time will take much longer.
Jen says
When using frozen chicken breasts, do you just dice them afterwards?
Michele says
Yes, if using frozen you would dice them afterwards.
Yesenia says
I only have basmati rice do you think it will be okay? Too lazy to go get white rice :/
Michele says
As basmati is a type of white rice, yes you can use that in this recipe.
Jamie says
I followed the instructions almost perfectly, I didn’t have any ranch dressing mix. And I shorted the liquids while adding them to the pot. And it came out more of a soup. Do you think it could be my instant pot or because I didn’t add the ranch mix?
Michele says
Hi Jamie,
That is interesting. I doubt it was the ranch dressing mix. What type of rice did you use? The rice should absorb most the liquid. However, using a different type of rice can get different results. If you used brown rice or wild rice, you would need to cook longer and therefore, it may not have absorbed the water. I used a long grain white rice for the recipe. The other things that will thicken the sauce is the milk and flour slurry along with the cheese. So while it may seem liquid immediately after opening, it should thicken up more after adding the milk slurry and cheese. However, the main difference usually is using a different type of rice.
Katrina says
This meal was fantastic! I left out the ranch because I’m not a fan of ranch. I used garlic powder, salt and pepper to season. I used brown rice and followed your directions to increase the liquid and cook time. It turned out perfect! I think this will become a family favorite!
Michele says
Hi Katrina, thank you so much. I’m so glad you liked it. Be sure to check out our other Instant Pot recipes as well.
Michele
Nikki says
I just made this for the second night in a row because there were. NO leftovers…….this is a delicious quick meal. Only change was I used Uncle Bens brown rice so therefore I increased the cooking time to 10 minutes.
Thanks for sharing a great week night recipe
Sarah says
What is the difference if any if you use an 8 quart pot instead of 6quarts?
Michele says
Hi Sarah,
That is a great question. The 8-quart Instant Pot requires a minimum of 2 cups of liquid, which this recipe does not have. The easiest thing to do would probably be to double the recipe, but DON’T change the time. The cook time stays the same. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Michele
Sandy says
Just made this and it tastes great. However, I used jasmine rice and the rice wasn’t cooked all the way through. I actually used a whole can of chicken broth and even increased the cooking time. Will try and add more chicken broth next time. Thanks for the recipe! It was super easy.
Michele says
Different types of rice seem to cook differently. To help me understand what may have been different than my experience, I have a couple of questions. Did you rinse the the rice first? Did you do a natural release for 10 minutes and then do a quick release or do a quick release right away?
Crystal says
Can i use rotisserie chicken?
Melissa says
This is my question too! I’d love to know how to use this recipe on the stove top, with rotisserie chicken!
Michele says
Hi Melissa,
Yes, you can use rotisserie chicken. Just add it after pressure cooking the residual heat will heat the chicken. I have not tested it on the stove. Maybe someone else can share their experience with that.
Michele