Description
This Creamy Chicken and Rice recipe offers a comforting, flavorful one-pan meal featuring tender chicken, creamy Parmesan sauce, and tender peas, all cooked together to create a rich and satisfying dish perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Vegetables
- 1 pound chicken breast, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Grains and Dairy
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
Liquids and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, preparing the pan for cooking the chicken.
- Cook chicken: Add the diced chicken breast to the hot skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through.
- Set chicken aside: Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate to keep warm.
- Sauté onion: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic: Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, enhancing the flavor base.
- Add rice: Stir the uncooked rice into the onions and garlic in the skillet to coat the rice in the aromatics.
- Toast rice: Toast the rice for 1-2 minutes while stirring occasionally, allowing it to lightly brown and develop flavor.
- Add broth: Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, stirring to combine it evenly with the rice.
- Boil mixture: Bring the rice and broth mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, readying it for simmering.
- Simmer rice: Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Cook peas: While the rice simmers, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add frozen peas, and cook them for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat.
- Add cream to rice: Once the rice is cooked, remove the skillet from heat and stir in the heavy cream to create a creamy texture.
- Add seasonings: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper to build the creamy and herbaceous sauce.
- Combine chicken: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir it into the rice mixture, evenly distributing protein throughout the dish.
- Add peas: Gently fold the cooked peas into the skillet, incorporating the sweet vegetable component.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the creamy chicken and rice dish and adjust salt and pepper seasonings as desired.
- Let it meld: Cover the skillet again and let the dish sit for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken a bit.
- Serve: Serve the creamy chicken and rice hot, garnished optionally with additional parsley or Parmesan cheese for extra flavor and presentation.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter dish, though it will be less rich.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt content if preferred.
- For added color and nutrition, consider adding diced carrots or bell peppers with the onions.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.
