Creamy Smothered Chicken And Rice (Printable Version)
Tender chicken in a rich creamy sauce with fluffy rice, all cooked in one pan for easy comfort food.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
→ For Sautéing
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 medium onion, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce & Rice
08 - 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
13 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Rub chicken breasts evenly with salt, black pepper, and paprika on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken breasts for 3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Add diced onion to the same pan and cook 2-3 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add rinsed rice to the pan, stirring constantly for 1 minute to lightly toast the grains.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, heavy cream, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Mix thoroughly to combine.
06 - Return seared chicken breasts to the pan, pressing them gently into the rice mixture.
07 - Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes until rice is tender and chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
08 - Remove lid and sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over the surface. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes until melted and bubbly.
09 - Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot directly from the pan.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks together in one pan, meaning minimal cleanup and maximum flavor infusion
- The rice absorbs all that seasoned cream while the chicken stays impossibly tender
02 -
- Rinse your rice thoroughly or the excess starch will turn your dish into a thick glue instead of separate fluffy grains
- Keep the heat low once the liquid goes in or the cream will separate and you will have oily puddles floating on top
03 -
- Pound your chicken to even thickness before seasoning so every piece finishes cooking at exactly the same moment
- Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits after adding the broth because those little brown morsels contain tons of flavor