Go Back

Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken with Three Grains

Cheesy chicken and broccoli with 3 whole grains cooked in the slow cooker.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, sliced into large chunks (frozen works best)
  • 1 cup of grains, I used 1/3 cup of each rice, millet and sorghum*
  • 3 cups vegetable broth*
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 small crowns broccoli, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup + 1/4 cup cheddar cheese*

Instructions
 

  • Turn the slow cooker on low.
  • Put the olive oil, chopped onion, and garlic into the slow cooker
  • Add the chicken breast pieces, salt, pepper, and grains.
  • Pour in the broth and stir.
  • Put lid on the slow cooker and turn it on low. Cook for four hours on low.
  • After three hours, check to make sure there is still enough liquid inside. If not, add some more broth.
  • A half an hour before it is done, add the chopped broccoli and stir. Add more broth if needed.
  • Cook for another half an hour until broccoli is bright green and tender.
  • For the cheese sauce: (I promise this extra step only takes 5 minutes and is worth it!!)
  • While broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Then, add in milk and whisk, making sure there are no clumps of flour. Bring to a simmer then add in 1 cup of the cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is warmed.
  • Pour sauce into slow cooker, top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and let cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Notes

**For any slow cooker recipe you must get to know your slow cooker. This slow cooker cooks quickly and I often use the low setting for recipes which call for high. If your slow cooker cooks on high most often than you may need to turn the heat up on this recipe. *You can use any combination of grains or just one grain. My favorite combo is rice, millet and sorghum. I found that quinoa breaks down to mush in the slow cooker. Farro would be another good option since it's really sturdy. Also, for this recipe to be unprocessed find a good quality cheese that doesn't have any added preservatives, dies etc. Also, check the ingredient list if you're buying broth - you should be able to recognize every ingredient on the list.