Creamy Chicken And Rice Recipe

Creamy Chicken and Rice (One-Pot Meal)

This recipe is a delicious and easy one-pot meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s packed with flavor and comes together in under an hour.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 large carrots, grated or cut into matchsticks (optional)
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
• 1 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, hot
• 2 cups medium-grain rice or Jasmine rice, unrinsed
• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)

Cooking Guide:

1. Sauté the vegetables and chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and carrots (if using) and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Brown the chicken: Add the chicken pieces, bay leaves (if using), remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Sauté the chicken for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.
3. Deglaze with wine: Increase the heat to high and pour in the white wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine has mostly reduced, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Simmer the rice and chicken: Add the hot chicken broth and the unrinsed rice. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover the pot with the lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add garlic and herbs: Nestle the halved head of garlic, cut-side down, into the rice. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and cooked through.
6. Stir in creamy sauce: Remove the pot from heat and discard the bay leaves (if using). Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. The residual heat will melt the butter and cheese, creating a creamy sauce.
7. Serve and enjoy: Fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese (optional).

Tips:

• Chicken breast vs. thighs: You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the thighs in this recipe. However, chicken thighs tend to be more flavorful and don’t dry out as easily. If using chicken breasts, cook them for just a few minutes less than the thighs, until cooked through but still slightly moist.
• Brown rice alternative: Feel free to use brown rice instead of white rice. Keep in mind that brown rice takes longer to cook, so you may need to adjust the simmering time by an additional 10-15 minutes.
• Adding vegetables: For extra flavor and nutrients, you can add other vegetables to the pot along with the onions and carrots, such as chopped celery, peas, or broccoli florets.
• leftovers: This dish reheats well for lunch the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.