Just so you know, as soon as I know your name, I start to file away facts about what food you do and don’t like. I love it when people talk about food because I love to make food people love.

Some people’s preferences are easier to pick up on than others. I know whether or not my father-in-law will like a dish before he does. But my own dad is reticent in both criticisms and praises (though this one time I made chicken he loved), so I don’t have as much of a handle on what to make when he visits. I think he usually likes what I make, but if he doesn’t, I’ll never know.

And then there are people who don’t know what they like. When we go to a restaurant we’ve been to before, my husband orders the same thing. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But this means that he doesn’t try anything new. But um, hey, food blogger here. I make a recipe we’ve never had before every other night. This is not an exaggeration. He has learned to trust me, and now he genuinely enjoys the adventure and surprise on our dinner table nightly. And I throw in his favorite repeat dishes every once in a while to mix things up. Ha.

This recipe is probably going to be a repeat recipe. I developed it on the fly, but I knew it couldn’t miss because cheese.

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Stovetop Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, Divided

1 Onion, Chopped Finely

3-4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 Cup Basmati Rice

1 Medium Head of Broccoli

3 Cups Chicken Broth

1/4 Pound of Cheddar Cheese, Shredded (I used a block of Tillamook Smoked Cheddar (Not a Sponsored Post–yet))

2 Ounces of Cream Cheese

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium heat.

Sweat the onions (in the Dutch oven) until translucent (like five minutes), then add the garlic until fragrant (about a minute).

Remove the onions and garlic to a plate or bowl.

Add the remaining olive oil and chicken to the Dutch oven and heat until no pink remains, but not longer.

Remove the chicken to onion and garlic plate.

Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil.

Add one cup of rinsed basmati rice to the boiling broth.

Cover, cook for ten minutes.

Add broccoli, cover, cook for ten minutes.

Add the chicken, onions and garlic, heat through, about five minutes.

Add the cheddar and cream cheeses until melted and gooey and awesome.

Serve warm.

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The leftovers are just as good if not better than the original meal. This recipe is a Samantha original, and not at all diet-friendly, which is obvious considering the amount of cheeses listed.