Chicken and rice is one of the most popular family dinners. This one-pan version is weeknight fast. And since we’ve replaced the rice with cauliflower rice, it’s lower in calories and carbohydrates too! It’s also incredibly delicious!

But then cauliflower rice or riced cauliflower is a magic ingredient. I have to admit I was skeptical about the vegetable’s ability to mimic rice in my favorite dishes. And I was delighted when cauliflower rice lived up to the hype.

Riced cauliflower is a truly magical ingredient that lets you pump up the veggies and vitamins, save calories and carbohydrates, and still enjoy your favorite rice dishes. Trust me. You won’t miss the rice.

This recipe is based on a recipe for Cheesy Chicken and Rice by The Girl Who Ate Everything. Click the link for the original version made with rice.

This chicken and rice recipe starts with onions, as many flavorful dishes do. Onions are aromatics (like garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, leeks, chilis, and shallots). Aromatics are the foundation of flavor in many recipes, especially soups, stews, and casseroles.

In this dish, onions add a subtle sweetness and a tantalizing aroma. They also pack a nutritional punch. Onions are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese. They’re also a good source of inulin, which promotes a healthy gut.

Lightly season the onions with a little salt. It draws out their moisture, so they don’t brown. You want to sweat them, not caramelize them.

If you really dislike onions, you can leave them out. However, I have found that if you mince the onion, as I’ve done here, they cook into the recipe in a way that adds flavor without anyone biting into a big piece of onion.

Alternatively, you could use shallots, green onions (scallions), or leeks in this recipe if you prefer them. Starting with an aromatic adds flavor.

Seasoned raw chicken breast meat in a skillet with onions that have been sweated.

Once you’ve sweated your onions and they’ve begun to appear translucent, it’s time to add the chicken. I have used boneless, skinless chicken breast meat here. But you can use boneless, skinless thigh meat if you prefer.

Be sure to lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. By seasoning at each stage of the cooking process, you infuse the dish with flavor. If you just add salt and pepper at the end of the cooking process, only the surface of the dish will be seasoned.

Stir the broccoli into the chicken and stock mixture in the skillet.

Once you’ve browned the chicken on all sides and added the minced or pressed garlic, it’s time to add the chicken stock and cornstarch. You can use homemade stock or stock in a box. Just be sure the stock you choose is rich and flavorful, and the cornstarch has fully dissolved before adding it to the pan. You don’t want lumps of cornstarch.

This is not the time for broth. Chicken broth isn’t as rich and velvety as stock because it is made by boiling chicken meat. Stock (also called bone broth) is made by boiling the bones of the chicken. This releases collagen into the stock, making it richer and thicker.

If canned chicken broth is all you have on hand, go ahead and use it. Just be mindful that broth gets most of its flavor from salt. So, you may wish to use less salt throughout the recipe to compensate.

It's important to drain all of the water from the riced cauliflower before adding it to the chicken and broccoli.

After you’ve thickened the sauce, it’s time to add the riced cauliflower. I cannot stress enough the importance of ringing as much moisture out of the cauliflower as you can before adding it to the chicken.

Tip: For frozen or microwaved cauliflower rice, once thawed, roll it up in a clean kitchen towel and ring out the excess moisture. This step is not necessary if using cauliflower rice prepared in the oven.

Here, I am using frozen cauliflower rice. I’ve thawed it and rung it out before stirring it in. The chicken and cauliflower rice is already delicious at this stage, so if you want to skip the cheese, you can. Just heat it through long enough to warm the riced cauliflower since it’s already cooked.

Stir in the cheese. I'm using extra sharp cheddar, but gouda or gruyere also work well.

My family likes it with cheese. I’m using extra sharp cheddar, but gouda or gruyere also work well. You can also use milder cheddar if you prefer. I find a flavorful cheese works best.

Tip: Cheddar cheese that is grated from the block melts better than pre-shredded cheese from a bag. Pre-grated cheese contains preservatives meant to keep the shreds from clumping together in the bag. If you must use pre-shredded, opt for finely shredded to make sure it melts properly.

Once you’ve stirred in some of the cheese, sprinkle the rest over the top. Then turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Just let it sit for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted.

Chicken and Riced Cauliflower with broccoli and cheese in a skillet with a glass lid. The cheese is melting.

A glass lid is especially helpful here. The hard part is leaving the lid on while watching the cheese melt. It’s so cheesy you’ll want to dive right in.

Resist, and you will be rewarded with a gooey cheese topping that makes this chicken and riced cauliflower extra delicious. Once the cheese is melted, remove it from the heat and enjoy the magic of cauliflower rice.

A low-calorie, low-carb chicken and rice dish your family will love? Yes, please. Embrace the magic.

One Pan Chicken and Cauliflower Rice with Brocolli and Cheese

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

451

kcal

Carbohydrates

grams

Fat

grams

Protien

grams

Sodium

546

Want a one-pan chicken and rice dish that’s low carb, family-friendly, and weeknight fast? Here it is! Thanks to the magic of cauliflower rice! You won’t miss the carbs.

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into bite-sized pieces.
1/2 medium yellow (or white) onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup low sodium chicken stock (or bone broth)
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 cups cooked riced cauliflower (about 2 10-12 oz. bags frozen)
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Preparation
Prepare riced cauliflower.

Cook riced cauliflower if using fresh. (After grating it with a box grater or food processor, place cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook on high power (1200 watts) for five minutes.)

If using frozen cauliflower, thaw it in microwave or at room temperature.

For frozen or microwave cooked cauliflower rice: roll up the cauliflower rice in a clean kitchen towel and ring out as much moisture as you can.
Prepare broccoli florets.

If using fresh broccoli, cut the head into bite-sized pieces. Then cook the pieces until they are just beginning to become tender but are still bright green.

If using frozen broccoli, thaw in the microwave or at room temperature. Cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.
Mince the onion and garlic separately. Set aside.
Cut chicken breasts or thighs into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Cooking
Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Then spray with cooking spray.
Add onion and season lightly with salt.
Cook and stir until the onion is translucent (5-6 minutes).
Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken pieces.
Brown chicken pieces on all sides (3-5 minutes).
Stir in garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
Combine chicken stock and cornstarch in a small bowl or cup. Whisk until there are no lumps.
Add chicken stock mixture to the pan, scraping the bottom to remove any brown bits.
Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add salt and pepper, if needed.
Stir in broccoli and cover pan.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until broccoli is tender and the sauce has begun to thicken.
Stir in the cooked cauliflower rice and 1/2 cup of cheese.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cover pan.
Reduce heat to low and let it sit until the cheese has melted (about 2-3 minutes).
Remove from heat and divide among four plates or bowls.
Top with chopped fresh parsley or chives, if desired.

Notes

To cook fresh broccoli, place it in a covered dish and microwave on high power for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Instead of broccoli, use 8 oz. of sliced mushrooms—no need to cook ahead. If using canned mushrooms, drain them first.
Instead of broccoli, use a 9-10 oz package of frozen, chopped spinach. Thaw it completely and press out all of the water. Or add a 10 oz—container of fresh spinach, stirring it in until wilted.
Instead of extra-sharp cheddar cheese, try making this with gruyere or gouda.
The writers and publishers of weirdsisterskitchen.com are not nutritionists or dietitians. All nutrition information has been calculated using the MyFitnessPal app using generic ingredient brands.