Description
Creamy Parmesan Chicken & Rice Delight brings Italian comfort straight to dinner tables with minimal cleanup. Simple ingredients combine in a single skillet, creating a hearty meal that delivers rich flavors and satisfying textures you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken fillets
Grains and Base:
- 1 cup (240 ml) long-grain white rice
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth
Dairy and Seasonings:
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (100 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Generously coat chicken fillets with salt and pepper, ensuring even seasoning across both sides of the meat.
- Warm olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature, creating a hot cooking surface for perfect browning.
- Carefully place seasoned chicken into the skillet, cooking until each side develops a rich, golden-brown crust, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
- Transfer browned chicken to a temporary plate, keeping it nearby for later reintegration.
- In the same skillet, introduce finely diced onions and minced garlic, sautéing until the onions become translucent and the aromatics release their fragrant essence.
- Sprinkle rice into the skillet, continuously stirring for 2-3 minutes to toast the grains and enhance their nutty flavor profile.
- Slowly pour chicken broth (236 milliliters or 8 fluid ounces) and heavy cream (120 milliliters or 4 fluid ounces) into the skillet, gently stirring to create a harmonious liquid base.
- Allow the mixture to reach a gentle simmer, creating a smooth, integrated cooking environment.
- Carefully return the previously seared chicken fillets to the skillet, nestling them into the creamy rice mixture.
- Cover the skillet tightly with a lid, reducing heat to low and allowing the dish to simmer for 20-25 minutes until rice becomes tender and chicken reaches complete doneness.
- Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese (approximately 60 grams or ) over the dish, stirring until the cheese melts completely and integrates with the creamy rice.
- Perform a final seasoning adjustment, adding salt and pepper to elevate the overall flavor profile.
Notes
- Chicken Selection: Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts of equal thickness to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Oil Temperature: Heat olive oil until it shimmers but doesn’t smoke, creating the perfect golden-brown crust on chicken without burning.
- Rice Toasting Technique: Gently toast rice before adding liquid to enhance its nutty flavor and prevent clumping, releasing delicious aromatic compounds.
- Liquid Ratio Matters: Maintain the precise chicken broth and cream proportions to achieve creamy, perfectly cooked rice with a luxurious consistency.
- One-Pan Convenience: Use the same skillet for every cooking stage, capturing layered flavors and minimizing cleanup time.
- Cheese Melting Tip: Add Parmesan off direct heat and stir gently to prevent separation, creating a smooth, silky sauce that coats every grain of rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg