Creamy Chicken And Rice
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Creamy Chicken and Rice is the ultimate comfort food, ready in just 30 minutes! Tender chicken and fluffy rice come together in a rich, creamy sauce with a hint of Parmesan. It’s a one-pan wonder that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Easy Creamy Chicken And Rice Recipe
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a meal that delivers maximum comfort with minimal effort—and this Creamy Chicken and Rice does just that. It’s a one-pan recipe that turns simple ingredients into something rich, satisfying, and downright cozy. The chicken stays juicy, the rice soaks up all that creamy goodness, and the Parmesan adds just the right touch of umami.
I’ve tested this enough times to know it’s the kind of dinner you’ll put on repeat. Bonus? It’s ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for when you want something homemade but don’t feel like standing over the stove all night!
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken And Rice
- Quick and Easy! All you need to make this yummy dish is one pan, basic ingredients, and 30 minutes! This recipe is perfect for beginners and those who don’t love to cook.
- Creamy Chicken Cheesy! This delicious recipe puts a little twist on homestyle classic chicken and rice by adding a bit of rich heavy cream and salty parmesan cheese.
- Weeknight Meal! Perfect for weekly family meal planning, this creamy chicken and rice is easy to whip together, affordable to make, and little kid friendly too.
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you like.
- Spices – Sweet paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder are used to season the chicken before it’s cooked.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter unless a recipe states otherwise.
- Onion – Brown onion is the best choice. But you can use any type of onion you have on hand.
- Garlic – For the best flavor, mince your own fresh garlic cloves. Jarred garlic can sometimes have a bitter taste.
- Italian Seasoning – It’s typically a blend of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. If you don’t have any on hand just use a combination of whatever you have in your pantry.
- Long Grain Rice – I used jasmine rice. Basmati rice or regular long-grain rice will also work, but I don’t recommend using short-grain rice, brown rice, or wild rice.
- Chicken Broth – I always use low-sodium chicken broth to control the amount of added salt.
- Seasonings – Salt and black pepper are needed to season the dish.
- Heavy Cream – Gives the rice its creamy texture and adds richness.
- Parmesan Cheese – Makes the dish cheesy and delicious. Freshly grated parmesan is the best choice. Cheddar cheese is another option.
- Parsley – Used to garnish the dish and add a fresh finish.
This recipe is an easy one-pan wonder that you can make in 30 minutes! Just make sure to follow the directions when it comes time to cook the rice and the dish will turn out perfect!
To begin, pat the pieces of chicken breast dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Next, sprinkle them with the sweet paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Then set the chicken aside for a later step.
After the chicken is seasoned, you can start cooking the onions and garlic. First, melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Then add the onions to the pan and sauté them for about 3 minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Next, add the minced garlic and cook the mixture for just 30 seconds more until it’s aromatic.
Next, add the chicken that you set aside to the hot skillet. Then stir everything together and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes or until it’s no longer pink. Try your best to brown the chicken pieces on all sides for the most flavorful dish.
Once the chicken is browned, mix in the Italian seasoning, uncooked rice, chicken broth, and a bit of salt and pepper to season. Now, bring the rice mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then lower the heat, cover the skillet with a lid, and let the rice simmer for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid. The rice does not need to be stirred and will not steam properly if it’s disturbed.
After the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, remove the lid on the skillet and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Now, just let the rice cook for a few more minutes to absorb most of the heavy cream. Then taste the dish and season it with more salt and black pepper if needed. Finally, garnish the creamy chicken and rice with some fresh parsley and serve it immediately.
Can I Use Brown Rice?
I don’t recommend making this recipe with brown rice because it takes a much longer time to cook than white rice. Brown rice also requires a different ratio of water to rice. That being said, if you attempt this recipe with brown rice it will not turn out correctly. However, if you know how to replace brown rice with white rice in recipes then give it a go! And do let me know how it turns out.
Why Is My Rice Mushy?
If your rice is gummy or mushy it means that you overcooked your rice or added too much liquid and not enough rice. This is why it’s really important to accurately measure out all your ingredients when cooking. The good news is that even mushy rice is still delicious!
Expert Tips
- Rinse the rice before cooking. For fluffier rice, you will want to rinse the uncooked rice in a strainer under cool running water. This will remove any excess starch or debris.
- Do not disturb the lid. You do not need to stir the rice or peek to see if it’s done. It’s crucial that the lid stays securely on the skillet for the 15 minutes that the rice is steaming.
- Season at the end. Do not add any extra salt until the dish is complete and ready to serve. Both the chicken stock and parmesan cheese have salt in them and season the rice quite a bit.
Storage
Leftover creamy chicken and rice will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the leftovers, just sprinkle them with a little bit of water and then heat them covered with plastic wrap in the microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes on medium power. You can also cover the rice with foil and reheat it in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 12 minutes.
The leftovers will also keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. But you should let them thaw out overnight in the fridge before reheating them.
Other Delicious Rice Recipes You’ll Love
- Yellow Rice
- Turkey Rice Casserole
- Mushroom Rice
- One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Tex Mex Chicken And Rice
- Greek Rice
- Easy Fried Rice
- Creamy Ranch Chicken and Gravy
- Chicken And Rice Casserole
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Creamy Chicken And Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts (cut into small bite size cubes)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup rice (long grain, such as Jasmine)
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the sweet paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside.
- In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until no longer pink.
- Add Italian seasoning, rice, chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring in the rice.
- Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and cook for a couple more minutes until the rice absorbs most of the cream. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Rinse the rice before cooking. For fluffier rice, you will want to rinse the uncooked rice in a strainer under cool running water. This will remove any excess starch or debris.
- Do not disturb the lid. You do not need to stir the rice or peek to see if it’s done. It’s crucial that the lid stays securely on the skillet for the 15 minutes that the rice is steaming.
- Season at the end. Do not add any extra salt until the dish is complete and ready to serve. Both the chicken stock and parmesan cheese have salt in them and season the rice quite a bit.
- Leftover creamy chicken and rice will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
