Print

Cheesy Brocolli, Chicken, and Rice Bowls

Print Recipe

This Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Bowls recipe is easy to make for lunch meal prep or weeknight dinners, it is tossed with a lightened-up cheddar cheese sauce, and it’s totally comforting and delicious!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 heads broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 1 batch cheddar cheese sauce (see below)
  • 3 cups cooked rice or quinoa
  • Extra shredded cheddar cheese*, for topping
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup warmed milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese*

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 4–5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink inside and registering 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes, then dice.
  2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan. Add broccoli, season with salt and pepper, and sauté 4–5 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  3. In the same pan (or a separate saucepan), melt butter. Add garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in stock, then milk, pepper, and salt. Simmer until thickened, then stir in shredded cheese until melted. Remove from heat.
  4. Toss the cooked chicken and broccoli with the cheese sauce until evenly combined. Serve immediately over rice or portion into meal-prep containers with rice, topping with extra cheese. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • I recommend purchasing a block of cheddar cheese and grating it yourself rather than buying pre-shredded — it melts more smoothly without added anti-caking agents.

Nutrition

Keywords: meal prep, cheddar cheese sauce, chicken, broccoli, rice, comfort food

Find it online: https://zesticook.com/cheesy-brocolli-chicken-and-rice-bowls/