Be sure to try my Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe next!
Chicken and Rice
This Chicken and Rice recipe is super creamy and flavorful, it incorporates simple gourmet techniques that add a ton of flavor, but don’t require special cooking skills. (Bonus: it’s all prepared in one pot on the stove top!) It starts out by softening some onions and garlic in butter. From there, we sauté seasoned chicken and deglaze the skillet with white wine before steaming the rice in chicken broth, which infuses it with a ton of flavor. It’s then finished off a in a garlic parmesan cream sauce with fresh spinach. (Does it really get any better than that?!)
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Sauté the onions in butter over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add the chicken and 2 tbsp. butter over medium-high. Toss to coat and sear on each side until golden. Deglaze with white wine and cook for 3-4 more minutes, until just a small amount of liquid remains.
Add the seasonings and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil. Add the rice and submerge it in to the liquid. Bring it back to a boil and cover tightly. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
Set heat to low and add the half and half in small splashes, stirring to incorporate. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Stir in the spinach and give it 3 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve!
Liquid to Rice Ratio
The rule of thumb is to use twice as much liquid as you use rice. (i.e. 2 cups liquid for every 1 cup of uncooked rice.) We add an extra 1/2 cup in this recipe as it’s used as part of the cream sauce. We also use chicken broth instead of water to infuse the rice with a lot of flavor. 1 cup of uncooked rice will yield 3 cups of cooked rice.
The Trick to Extra Fluffy Rice
For extra fluffy rice, let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes after cooking. Not only will it be light and airy, but any rice stuck to the bottom of the pot will release naturally. Refrain from stirring as this will release starch and make it sticky. Don’t lift the lid during cooking, this will cause steam to escape and the rice will be hard/undercooked. A glass lid is handy because you can see what’s going on in the pot without lifting the lid. Just make sure the lid fits tightly on the pot. Nonstick pans are also great for cooking rice.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze well.
Try These Next
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Box Cheese Grater– Always grate the Parmesan from a wedge so that it melts and tastes the best. 3.5 quart Dutch oven– This conducts heat well for cooking rice, and has a sturdy lid that will keep the steam inside the pot during cooking. Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer. Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time. Chefs Knife– I have this one, it’s affordable but high quality.
