This Instant Pot chicken broccoli rice casserole is so cheesy and creamy and comforting, the best from-scratch, casserole-style, feed-a-crowd dinner that is guaranteed to please everyone! Using the Instant Pot means this comes together in a flash, and that’s the best kind of comfort food if you ask me.
why we love this casserole recipe
There’s nothing quite like a good, homestyle casserole. Sometimes it’s exactly what we need! And we’re all about this casserole recipe because not only is it delicious comfort food quickly, but it’s also:
- creamy and cheesy with tender shreds of chicken and perfectly-cooked broccoli
- made with whole food ingredients and entirely from scratch
- on the table in less than 30 minutes
- a healthy dinner with easy cleanup!
Our Instant Pot chicken broccoli rice casserole is a fantastic combination of basic ingredients– and you might already have most of them on-hand!
If you love this recipe, you will love our broccoli casserole with Ritz.
how to make this chicken broccoli rice casserole
You can probably guess some of the ingredients in this casserole, but here’s a full list!
- chicken breast
- onion
- broccoli
- cheese
- rice
- butter
- milk
- garlic
- chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- dried oregano
- flour
The best thing about this chicken casserole recipe is that it all comes together in the Instant Pot! No casserole dish needed and no long bake in the oven to get that beloved tender, satisfying casserole consistency.
How to make it.
Ready to make it? Here’s the jist (but you’ll find all the details in the recipe at the bottom of the page):
- Saute: Cook the onion, garlic, and chicken using the Instant Pot “sauté” feature.
- Pressure Cook: Add the broth, rice, and then cook on high pressure in the Instant Pot.
- Make the sauce: On the stovetop, make the cream sauce by whisking together the butter, flour, and milk.
- Combine: Add the broccoli, cream sauce and cheese to the Instant Pot, using the residual heat to cook the broccoli and let everything come together for a pot of melty, cheesy goodness.
pro tips for the best chicken casserole
A few pro tips for you as you make this delicious chicken broccoli rice casserole! It’s an easy recipe but you’ll want to be sure that you follow it in order to get the best results.
Make sure you deglaze the bottom of the pot to avoid the burn message on your Instant Pot. To deglaze the pot, add the broth to the hot pot after you sauté the chicken, garlic and onion. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any cooked-on bits.
Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh broccoli? Yes, you can! Just make sure you thaw it out completely before putting it in the Instant Pot. Drain out any liquid after thawing.
Do not turn the Instant Pot on after you add the broccoli. The broccoli will cook with the residual heat. It takes about 10 minutes with the IP lid closed to get the broccoli to a tender-crisp stage. If you like your broccoli cooked softer then let the pot sit for 12 minutes.
You can add cooked broccoli at the end if you don’t want to wait the extra 10 minutes. If you want to make steamed broccoli on the stovetop or in the microwave then do that while the rice mixture is cooking.
more casserole inspiration
Casseroles are perfect for busy weekdays, when you want to throw everything together for a quick and filling meal that’s low-maintenance. And we have some amazing casseroles here on Savor the Best! Some are dinner casseroles, some are breakfast casseroles, all are AMAZING.
A few of our favorites are:
- this Gluten-free Chicken Enchilada Casserole, with the best, south-of-the-border flavors that come together perfectly!
- a sweet, Overnight French Toast Bake make with fresh apples and cubes of Brioche bread
- Turkey Tetrazzini, a pasta-based casserole that combines turkey, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes tossed in a creamy cheese sauce
Enjoy this easy Instant Pot casserole! Because healthy, delicious and low-maintenance comfort food is what we all need right now. 🙂
SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:
- Did you know you can make roasted garlic in the Instant Pot? This little trick is soooo helpful and cuts the roasting time down to 10 minutes! Check out our Instant Pot Roasted Garlic recipe to see how it’s done!
- Roasted cauliflower steaks are an incredible Meatless Monday (or anyday) dinner option! Serve them with this herb-y chimichurri sauce for extra flavor and yum factor.
- You can’t go wrong with this Chicken in Mushroom Cream Sauce! It’s creamy and meaty and a classic recipe that you’ll make over and over again.
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Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced or cubed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1-½ cups white rice uncooked
After the rice and chicken finish cooking:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1-½ cups milk
- 3 to 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Press the saute function and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until it is soft. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until it starts to turn white. Turn off the saute function.
- Add the broth then scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any cooked-on bits (this will prevent the burn notice).
- Add the rice and push it down into the liquid. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the pressure valve is in the sealed position.
- Set the function to high pressure for 4 minutes.
- When finished cooking, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and stir for 2 minutes to cook the flour mixture.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring as you go. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick.
- After 10 minutes of natural pressure release, let the rest of the pressure out of the Instant Pot manually.
- Stir in the broccoli, cream sauce and 1-1/2 cups of the cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top then immediately replace the lid. Do not turn the Instant Pot on. Just let the casserole sit with the lid closed for 10 minutes. The residual heat will cook the broccoli.
Notes
- Make sure you deglaze the bottom of the pot to avoid the burn message. To deglaze the pot all you do is add the broth to the hot pot and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any cooked-on bits. Do this to prevent the burn message.
- If you use frozen broccoli make sure you thaw it first and drain the liquid.
- You could also add cooked broccoli at the end instead of raw broccoli. If you add cooked broccoli, you will only need to let the casserole sit for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.
Annie
Monday 9th of November 2020
Made today for this evening, very delish! As we don't have this piece of kitchen equipment I improvised. Used my slow cooker. I omitted the onions and added a teaspoon of English mustard to the cheese sauce (we do this in the UK)and also dome double cream with the milk. The whole recipe turned out very well and was like a creamy cheesy risotto and so very easy to make.
Thank you a hit in our house!
Dahn Boquist
Monday 9th of November 2020
That's great to hear it worked in the slow cooker, thanks for the comment Annie. I'm glad it was a hit.