Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Skillet Recipe
This super easy Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Skillet recipe is filled with tender and creamy rice and is a weeknight winner!
This super easy Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Skillet recipe is filled with tender and creamy rice and is a weeknight winner!
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs* cut into bite size pieces
- 2 cups uncooked broccoli finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups colby jack cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 170.21638485538 g
- Cholesterol 223.462500052782 mg
- Fat 84.376638441543 g
- Fiber 6.71829624465246 g
- Protein 80.5961862671946 g
- Saturated Fat 45.2116070259063 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1893g)
- Sodium 2446.93479363948 mg
- Sugar 163.498088610727 g
- Trans Fat 4.65168033707312 g
- Calories 1771 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to skillet along with the onion.
- Cook until chicken pieces are lightly browned and cooked through, and onion is tender, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic, uncooked rice, broccoli, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to the skillet.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for about 17 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in the sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese until mixture is creamy.
- Top with the remaining cheese and place lid back on top.
- Let cheese melt over low heat, about 2 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Substituting heavy cream for the sour cream alters the final sauce consistency significantly, producing a thinner liquid that requires simmering uncovered for an extra three minutes to reduce properly. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs maintain their moisture content better than breast meat during the initial six-minute sear in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Long-grain white rice functions ideally here because its starch content releases gradually, absorbing precisely two cups of chicken stock without turning pasty. Finely chopping the raw broccoli florets ensures they soften evenly alongside the grain during the seventeen-minute covered simmer phase. Freezing this dish requires caution since dairy-heavy sauces often break upon thawing. Sour cream and Colby Jack cheese separate into an oily emulsion when subjected to sub-zero temperatures, meaning components should be frozen prior to dairy incorporation if meal prep is the goal. Undercooking the rice by two minutes before freezing prevents the grains from disintegrating into mush during the eventual reheating process on the stovetop. Reheating portions over medium-low heat with an added splash of chicken stock restores the original moisture balance without scorching the bottom of the pan. Pairing this rich, starch-heavy preparation with a sharp, vinegar-dressed green salad cuts through the saturated fat content effectively, providing necessary palate contrast.
