Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ tsp salt, plus extra to taste
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper, plus extra to taste
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano, thyme or Italian mixed herbs (Italian seasoning)
- 1 ½ cups (330 g) arborio rice
- 4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
- ½ cup (125 ml) thick (heavy/double) cream, optional (see note 1)
- 1 bunch broccolini, cut into bite-sized pieces, or 1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 cups (250 g) freshly grated cheddar
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to garnish
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium–high heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chicken, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3–5 minutes until golden.
- Stir through the sweet paprika, onion powder and oregano, followed immediately by the arborio rice, chicken stock and cream.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low so that it is just simmering. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Scatter the broccolini or broccoli over the surface of the rice and chicken mixture and stir gently to combine. Cover again and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the cheddar and parmesan. Put the lid back on to melt the cheese for a further 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the extra parsley and parmesan and serve immediately!
Notes
Note 1 – I love adding cream for an extra indulgent, creamy finish but it is not essential. You can achieve a similarly silky, creamy result even without cream thanks to the starches in the arborio rice and with the cheese added at the end.
Make ahead:
Here are some meal prep tips if you want to make this an even faster weeknight dinner!
Veg – Wash and cut the broccolini or broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Ensure it is completely dry and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days (or longer depending on the freshness to start with). A single sheet of paper towel on the bottom of the container will help to absorb extra moisture and keep the veg fresh, ready for when you need it.
Chicken – Cut the chicken ahead of time and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days (or the use-by date), so that it is ready to go. Less prep = easier mealtimes!
Leftovers:
Cheesy Chicken and Broccolini Rice can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in an airtight container. It’s best reheated in the microwave to prevent the chicken and rice drying out. Reheat until piping hot and serve immediately.
Recipe source:
This recipe is inspired by Jo Cooks One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole. I love Jo’s recipes and as soon as I saw this one, I knew I wanted to make my own version of it. Jo uses canned chicken soup and regular rice in her recipe. My main adaptations were using cream, arborio rice and the addition of parmesan. You can view the original recipe here.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: mains, rice, quick and easy, one pan, quick risotto, chicken
- Method: simmering, pan
- Cuisine: Italian, American, Italian