Creamy Smothered Chicken and Rice (Printable View)
Tender chicken in rich creamy Parmesan sauce over fluffy rice—a comforting classic ready in 50 minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ teaspoon paprika
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ For the Creamy Sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
10 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11 - 1 cup chicken broth
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - ½ cup heavy cream
14 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
15 - ½ teaspoon dried parsley
16 - ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
17 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
18 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ For the Rice
19 - 1½ cups long-grain white rice
20 - 3 cups water or chicken broth
21 - ½ teaspoon salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Season both sides of chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Sauté onion and mushrooms 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
04 - Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream until smooth.
05 - Add thyme, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan.
06 - Return chicken to skillet, nestling into sauce. Cover and cook over low heat 15-20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
07 - Rinse rice under cold water until clear. In a saucepan, bring water or broth and salt to a boil. Add rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15-18 minutes until tender. Let stand covered 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
08 - Place rice portion on each plate. Top with chicken breast and spoon creamy sauce over everything.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce becomes this velvety blanket that makes everything taste like home
- Its the kind of meal that has people asking whats for dinner again before theyve even finished their plates
02 -
- The sauce will thicken up even more as it stands off the heat so dont panic if it seems slightly thinner than you want
- Room temperature milk prevents the sauce from breaking when you add it to the hot pan
03 -
- Pound your chicken to an even thickness before cooking to ensure every piece finishes at the same time
- Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre grated it makes a massive difference in how it melts