Tips and Substitutions

• Lock in the Steam: It is important that the pan is SECURELY covered with the foil. The steam must be captured in order for the rice to cook properly.
• Par-Cooked the Chicken: Searing the meat first 1-2 minutes per side in oil in a skillet over high heat is optional. The bake time should be about the same or 5-10 minutes less.
• Pre-Cooked Chicken: You can also make this using cooked leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Simply use 2 ½-3 cups of protein, increase the water from ½ cup to 1 cup (or broth), either microwave the frozen broccoli 5 minutes or substitute with fresh broccoli, and adjust the bake time to 30-35 minutes. The rice will still be tender with this cooking method.
• Chicken Cut Success: Swap thighs for chicken breasts or tenders if you prefer white meat. The chicken shouldn't be thicker than ½-inch. If the pieces are too big, it will not be cooked through in the specified time. If your meat needs additional cook time, simply recover and bake an additional 5-15 minutes or until and internal temperature of 165ºF is met.
• Don’t Prepare The Rice Beforehand : Whichever chicken cut you choose or whether it's with the pre-cooked, pre-seared, or raw cooking method chosen, the rice will cook in a minimum cook time of 30 minutes.
• Homemade Cream of Chicken: You can substitute cream of chicken Campbell's soup with this homemade version:
  • Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in ⅓ cup all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in ⅓ cup milk and ⅓ cup chicken broth until well combined. Season with ¼ teaspoon onion powder and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened and creamy.
• Knorr Rice Substitute: You can substitute rice packets with 1 ¼ cups rinsed long-grain white rice or 1 cup brown rice. You might want to add seasonings such as salt, garlic and/or onion powder. The packets also boost the cheesy flavor, so consider adding more cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese.