One-Pot Creamy Chicken & Rice
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
The Chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
The Base
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice uncooked
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half and half)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 cup frozen peas added in the last 5 minutes
- Fresh parsley chopped, for serving
- Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Season and sear the chicken. Pat chicken dry and season on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Melt butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to plate.
- Saute the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the rice and liquids. Add the uncooked rice to the pot and stir to coat in the butter and aromatics for about one minute. Pour in the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, heavy cream, and Italian seasoning. Stir everything together well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chicken and simmer. Nestle the seared chicken pieces back into the pot, submerging them slightly in the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes.
- Check the rice. After 20 minutes, lift the lid and check the rice. it should be just about tender and most of the liquid absorbed. If it needs more time, recover and cook another 3-5 minutes. If adding frozen peas, stir them in now and replace the lid for 3 minutes.
- Rest and Serve. Remove from heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 5 minutes. This lets the rice finish absorbing and the sauce thicken up perfectly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve straight from the pot topped with fresh parsley and Parmsean, if desired.
Don't worry about cooking it through - it will finish in the liquid.
Don't skip this step - it builds the flavor base for the whole dish.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of chicken broth. Does not freeze well - the rice becomes mushy.
Chicken thighs vs. breasts: Thighs are strongly recommended. They stay juicy and tender even if the rice needs a few extra minutes. Breasts work but are less forgiving - pull them earlier if needed.
Brown rice: Increase broth to 3 cups and cook time to 40-45 minutes.
