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Creamy smothered chicken and rice served on white plate with parsley garnish and parmesan cheese

Creamy Smothered Chicken and Rice

Tender seared chicken breasts simmered in a rich garlic-Parmesan cream sauce and served over fluffy rice for the ultimate comfort dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 475
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 6-8 oz each, pounded to even ½-inch thickness
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter divided
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
  • ½ small onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth low-sodium preferred
  • ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice jasmine or basmati
  • 2 cups water or chicken broth for cooking rice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
  • Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish

Equipment

  • Large 12-inch skillet
  • Medium saucepan
  • Meat thermometer
  • Wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of broth or water to a boil. Stir in rice and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and keep covered. Rice can cook while you prepare the chicken.
  2. Pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. If thicker than ½ inch, pound to even thickness between plastic wrap. Season both sides with garlic powder, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear chicken 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to plate.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Add diced onions and cook 2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  4. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Return chicken to skillet, nestling into sauce. Spoon sauce over top. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5-7 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
  6. Remove from heat. Serve chicken over rice, ladle sauce generously over everything, and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Chicken thighs can be substituted for extra juiciness. For lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. Store leftovers in airtight container for up to 3 days. Add splash of broth when reheating to restore creamy consistency. Rice can be cooked simultaneously with chicken preparation for efficient 40-minute timeline.