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instant pot chicken broccoli rice casserole—creamy and cheesy

Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Creamy, cheesy Instant Pot chicken broccoli rice casserole—easy, budget-friendly, and weeknight fast.
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Servings:6
Course:dinner, Main Course
Cuisine:American, Southern American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1½ cups long-grain white rice not instant, rinsed
  • 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • ½ cup milk or additional broth
  • 3 cups small broccoli florets fresh or frozen
  • 1½ –2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt ¾ tsp if table salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Optional: ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • Optional: pinch of paprika and a squeeze of lemon for serving

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (6– or 8–quart)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Set Instant Pot to Sauté (optional). Lightly oil/spray the inner pot.
  2. Add chicken; season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. (If sautéing, brown briefly, then press Cancel.)
  3. Pour in ½ cup broth and deglaze—scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  4. Add remaining 2 cups broth. Sprinkle rinsed rice evenly over the liquid. Do not stir.
  5. Place chicken on top (if removed while deglazing, return it now). Scatter broccoli evenly over the top. Do not stir.
  6. Seal. Cook 6 minutes on High Pressure. Let pressure naturally release 5–6 minutes, then quick-release the rest.
  7. Open and stir well. If a few grains are firm, cover (no heat) 3–5 minutes to steam.
  8. Whisk condensed soup with the ½ cup milk or broth. Stir into the pot until creamy.
  9. Stir in 1 cup cheddar to melt. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
  10. Top with remaining ½–1 cup cheese; cover (no heat) 3–5 minutes to melt. Sprinkle paprika if you like. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

No burn notice: Deglaze after sautéing, then layer broth → rice → chicken → broccoli and don’t stir before sealing.
Brown rice: 22–24 min High Pressure + 10 min natural release; add broccoli and cheese after pressure cooking.
Cheese swaps: Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella melt smoothly.
No canned soup: Use ¾ cup milk + 2 oz cream cheese + 1 Tbsp butter + ½ tsp chicken bouillon; melt in after cooking.
Storage: Refrigerate 3–4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk/broth. Freeze up to 2 months (texture softens slightly).