This Creamy Lemon Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole is the perfect weeknight meal that is full of so much flavor and easily made in one dish without pre-cooking anything beforehand!
Ok you guys this is literally the easiest thing you might make all week. No really, I’m serious. If you watched my Instagram stories then you saw this come together and I honestly had no idea how this would come out and boy was I pleasantly surprised! So much garlicky lemon flavor, perfectly cooked chicken, tender rice and broccoli and the best part is you literally just throw all your ingredients into the dish without cooking anything first! That makes this meal perfect for those busy weeknights when you need to throw something together in a pinch.
I did make this cream sauce on the stove first because you really want those flavors to blend together, but everything comes together in just minutes! So much lemony goodness with garlic, parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, I promise you this is really delicious!
Chicken and rice is one of those hearty staples I grew up eating so this dish reminds me of being a kid and is basically the perfect comfort food. The addition of broccoli completes the entire meal and ensures you get those veggies for dinner! Your kids will love this too and the leftovers taste even better the next day (if you even have any leftover).
Lemon with my chicken is one of my favorite flavor combinations as you’ve probably already seen from my sheet pan lemon rosemary chicken and potatoes, this one pot lemon rosemary chicken, or even my lemon chicken with thyme recipe. See clearly I’m obsessed! Lemons just give everything such a fresh vibrant taste without adding many calories, especially on the broccoli, so this whole meal is such a winner in my book. It’s also great for meal prep too because as I said earlier, this dish tastes even better the next day!
I don’t suggest using brown rice for this recipe because brown rice takes much longer to cook, although you could certainly try it with brown instant rice. I haven’t made it that way yet, but I will test it and let you know how it turns out!
I really hope you all enjoy this chicken, rice and broccoli meal as much as we did! The flavors are truly outstanding and I’d love to hear from you if you DO make this! Please leave your comments below or I love it when you tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinnyrecipe so I can see all your delicious photos!
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or rosemary)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (or more if you prefer)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ¾ cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, drizzle olive oil and sauté the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chicken broth, heavy cream, lemon juice, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes and salt/pepper and bring to a simmer. Mix in a ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and remove from heat.
- In a large 9x13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, combine broccoli, rice and chicken (I would also season the chicken with additional salt and pepper) and pour sauce over top making sure everything is coated. Top with breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Tightly cover the casserole with foil and bake for 35 minutes then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered until chicken is cooked through and the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
- Remove from the oven and let the dish sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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