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Why Rice Cooker Meals Became My Weeknight Lifeline

All hail the rice cooker meals! All the convenience of a slow cooker meal, in a fraction of the time.

I relied heavily on rice cooker meals during my time of working late night restaurant shifts. I’ve always felt very strongly about having homemade, healthy dinners for myself and my husband throughout the week. But to make this happen on the nights that I worked, I’d have to spend all my days off meal prepping in the kitchen.

From TikTok Recipe to a Whole Rice Cooker Meal Series

I discovered rice cooker meals from TikTok videos of people making bibimbap in a rice cooker. I tried it myself and was in awe of how I had just made a really delicious homemade bibimbap by just throwing all the ingredients into a pot and going about my day. Then, I thought to myself “if this works for bibimbap, couldn’t this work for essentially any rice/veg/protein combo?” Thus, the experimentation began!

The Flavor Combos Are Endless

Whatever classic flavor combination I could think of got mocked up into a rice cooker meal. Some of them were more successful than others, and those are the ones I am excited to share with you. This Chicken Broccoli Ranch Rice Cooker Meal is the first of many rice cooker meals I intend on posting, and it’s also one of the most requested ones in my household.

Creamy Chicken Broccoli Ranch Rice Cooker Meal

This Chicken Broccoli Ranch Rice Cooker Meal is an easy, dump-and-go dinner packed with tender chicken, broccoli, rice, and plenty of ranch flavor. It’s perfect for busy days when you want a healthy, satisfying meal without spending all evening in the kitchen.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Calories: 550

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• ½ cup uncooked rice use brown rice, quinoa, or a blend of rice and lentils for a fiber boost!
• water according to your rice cooker’s instructions
• 2 boneless chicken breast or thighs ~12oz. chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups frozen broccoli
• 2 tbsp ranch seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• black pepper to taste
• ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ½ cup shredded cheese
• salt if needed

Equipment

• Rice cooker

Method

 

1. Add the uncooked rice (or grain of choice) and the amount of water recommended for your rice cooker to the rice cooker pot.
2. Stir in the ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
3. Place the chopped chicken in a single layer on top of the rice. Scatter the frozen broccoli around the chicken.
4. Close the rice cooker and cook using the setting that best matches the grain you’re using (i.e. White Rice, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Mixed).
5. Once the cycle is complete, check that the chicken pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
6. Stir the Greek yogurt and shredded cheese into the hot rice and broccoli until creamy and well combined. Taste for salt.
7. Let sit and cool for 3–5 minutes before serving or packaging up for later.

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 57gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1040mgPotassium: 990mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1475IUVitamin C: 80mgCalcium: 343mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Nutrition facts calculated using chicken breast and brown rice.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!