Description
A quick, one-pot weeknight dinner that feeds a family in 30 minutes. This creamy parmesan chicken and rice is kid-approved, budget-friendly, and requires minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs), diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream (full-fat)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 tsp powder)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 cup frozen peas, 2 cups broccoli florets, or 1 can drained mushrooms
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice chicken, mince garlic, measure rice and broth, and grate Parmesan.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the same skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in rice to coat in butter and aromatics. Pour in chicken broth and crumble in bouillon cube. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in heavy cream and half of the Parmesan cheese. Add cooked chicken back into the rice and stir until sauce thickens.
- Serve immediately topped with remaining Parmesan, black pepper, and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Do not lift the lid while simmering to ensure rice cooks properly. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness as Parmesan and bouillon are salty. Grate your own Parmesan to avoid grainy sauce caused by anti-caking agents in pre-grated cheese. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
Keywords: one pot meal, creamy chicken and rice, parmesan chicken, weeknight dinner, back to school meals, easy family dinner, budget friendly meals