Preparation Steps

• To a large, high-sided skillet (or stainless steel + lid) add the olive oil, onions, chicken, evenly sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes; stir very frequently and flip the chicken to ensure even cooking.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute; stir constantly.
• Remove the chicken and onions from the skillet and set aside in a bowl or on a plate.
• Roux - Add the butter and heat to melt; stir constantly to encourage the butter to melt and not burn.
• Evenly sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, and cook for 30 seconds; whisk constantly.
• While whisking, slowly add the milk, 1/3 cup broth, and continue to whisk and cook for 30 more seconds, or until a thick paste has formed. Roux Tips: Do not shortcut the step of making a roux, make sure to cook the flour sufficiently so your final casserole doesn't have a raw flour taste, and make sure you end up with a thick paste. Because no canned or condensed soups are used, the roux is essential to help ensure your casserole thickens up properly.
• Add back in the cooked chicken and onion mixture to the roux, dry rice, and slowly add in the remaining 2 cups broth.
• Bring to a boil, and once boiling, reduce the heat so that mixture will simmer, and cover with a lid. Allow the mixture to gently simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Rice Cooking Tips: Rice needs both time + liquid to soften. A. If after 15 minutes or so, the rice is still hard, keep simmering until it's not. B. If there is no more liquid left but the rice is still hard, add about 1/3 cup additional broth, and simmer covered for about 5 more minutes, or until soft and done. C. If after about 15 minutes of simmering, the mixture is still soupy yet the rice has already cooked through and is soft, uncover the skillet and turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a more rapid simmer with the lid off to allow some of the excess liquid to steam off and evaporate.
• Stir in the broccoli florets, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and continue to cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, or until broccoli is as tender as desired. Broccoli Tips: If you like your broccoli on the crisp-tender side, 3 minutes will likely be fine. If you like more well done broccoli, you may want to simmer for 5-6 minutes. If you're using frozen broccoli, it's likely already very mushy so just add it with the cheese, stir to combine, and immediately move onto step 10, so you're just warming it and not actually cooking it.
• Evenly sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cup shredded cheese (or a little more if you'd like) over the top, cover with a lid, and just let it sit for about 1-2 minutes and the cheese will melt from the carryover heat. Want a crispy topping? See Notes.
• Optionally garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat gently in the microwave as desired. I store leftovers in individually sized containers for ease of storage and reheating.