Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole
When it comes to dinner ideas, I’m all about quick and easy! This Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli cheese casserole is one I can whip up even when I’m not feeling up to cooking for the whole family. Not only is it a breeze to make, but it’s a deliciously cheesy combination that the whole family will love!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole
I absolutely love this casserole and so does my whole family. Here are some of the reasons you’ll love it too!
- Simple ingredients. Every ingredient can be easily found at your local grocery store.
- Perfect for picky eaters. If you have a picky eater that isn’t fond of veggies, the cheesy goodness makes eating broccoli so much easier.
- Packed with flavor. This chicken broccoli cheese casserole is packed with a delicious ranch and cheesy flavor that everyone is sure to love.
- Perfect quick meal. If you’re tired and don’t feel like cooking, this meal comes together in about half an hour. Most of which you can sit down and wait for.
Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole Ingredients
For this deliciously cheesy recipe, you’ll need a few things, so get out your shopping list and write down what you need!
- Chicken breasts: The main protein source in the casserole, chicken breasts provide a tender and juicy texture to the dish.
- Ranch Dressing Mix: Adds a burst of tangy and herby flavor to the chicken, enhancing its taste profile.
- Onion: Adds a mild sweetness and depth of flavor to the casserole, complementing the other ingredients.
- Worcestershire sauce: Brings a savory and umami taste to the dish, adding richness and complexity.
- Chicken broth: Provides moisture and helps to infuse the flavors into the chicken and rice.
- Rice: Serves as the base ingredient, absorbing the flavors of the other ingredients and giving the casserole a hearty and comforting texture.
- Broccoli florets: Adds a vibrant green color and a fresh crunch to the casserole, balancing out the richness of the cheese and chicken.
- Shredded cheese: Creates a creamy and gooey texture when melted, adding a delightful cheesiness to the casserole.
- Seasonings: Used to enhance the overall taste and bring balance to the dish.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of exact ingredients!
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole?
The best part about this recipe is that it’s so easy to make! Just follow the simple steps below to have dinner ready in a jiffy!
Step 1: Cook the Chicken
You will have to cook the chicken before the rice. First, place the chicken on a trivet and season it with salt and pepper. Add a cup of water to the inner pot and seal the lid. Press the pressure cook or manual button and set the time for 9 minutes.
Step 2: Manually Release and Shred
Then, manually release the pressure. Remove the chicken from the inner pot and shred it.
Step 3: Saute Veggies
Set the Instant Pot to Saute and saute the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Once they are cooked, turn off the saute, add broth and worcestershire sauce, and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Step 4: Cook the Rice
Leaving the veggies in the inner pot, add the rice and ranch mix, and seal the lid on the Instant Pot. Then, press the manual or pressure cook button and set the time for 7 minutes. Next, manually release the pressure.
Step 5: Add Broccoli and Cheese
Once the rice is done, add the broccoli and cheese and stir. Then, place your shredded chicken back in and stir.
Serve and Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Deglaze the Pot Mean?
Whenever you saute anything in your Instant Pot, you want to pour some kind of liquid such as broth or water into it and deglaze it. This simply means using a spoon or spatula and the liquid to scrape any particles off the bottom of your pot. If you leave the sauteed particles on the bottom of your inner pot, you will most likely get the burn notice when trying to pressure cook your rice.
What Rice Do I Use?
For this recipe, we are using Basmati white rice. This rice requires more than the 1:1 ratio which is why we are putting 3 cups of broth: 2 cups of rice. If you choose to use another type of rice, you can but you will need to adjust measurements and cook time. For example, Jasmin rice requires a 1:1 liquid ratio. So you would add less broth. For a full list of different types of rice and their cooking times, check out my post How to Cook Instant Pot Rice!
Why Do I Need to Cook the Rice and Chicken Separate?
The chicken takes 9 minutes to pressure cook whereas the rice only takes 7. If you attempt to cook them together, one will either be not done, or one will be overdone. Overcooking the rice also results in the dreaded burn notice.
Casserole Side Options
I typically serve this casserole as a complete meal, but there are a few sides you can serve with it. Here are a few of my recommendations:
Tasty Summer Broccoli Salad
Weight Watchers Fruit Salad
Garlic and Parmesan Instant Pot Monkey Bread
Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole
You can try this Instant Pot Recipe and this will definitely love by your family!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1 package of ranch dressing mix
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 2 cups of rice
- 10 oz of frozen broccoli florets
- 2 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
- Place chicken on a trivet inside the instant pot, season with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Add a cup of water and seal the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes and manually release pressure.
- Remove chicken and shred.
- Set the instant pot to sauté and sauté the onion and garlic.
- Once onions are cooked, add broth and Worcestershire sauce in the instant pot to deglaze the bottom.
- Add the rice and ranch mix and seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Manually release pressure.
- Add the broccoli and cheese and stir
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 502Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 2265mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 38g
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more? Here are some of our favorite chicken recipes to try!
- Instant Pot Alabama Chicken Sliders
- Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Dump and Dash Chicken Taco Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Straganoff
About Angela Milnes
Angela Milnes is a Qualified Early Years Teacher who has specialised in teaching. She has a wealth of experience teaching young children and adults. Angela has also taught cooking classes and loves to share both family recipes and easy instant pot recipes here on The Instant Pot Table. Follow her on Pinterest!
