Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal). You'll be going back for refills! @natashaskitchen

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

This Chicken and Rice dish is so satisfying – a must try! It has all of the heartiness of plov and creamy deliciousness of a risotto. The chicken turns out tender and so flavorful. It’s one of those meals that you’ll make and your family members will be convinced you’re the best cook there is.

My husband and son sent all kinds of compliments my way. My son ended his meal by saying “Mama your food is the best.” Yes, it’s that good! I even called Mom and shared it with her just as soon as I finished my bowl of creamy goodness.

(P.S. Don’t be afraid of the white wine; it is still family friendly! You boil out the alcohol and keep all of the amazing flavor).

Watch How to Make this Chicken and Rice:


It’s also a one-pot wonder. Less dishes is huge for me because most of my cooking sprees tend to make the kitchen look like it’s been hit by twin tornados (as evidenced here). This creamy rice casserole also also reheats really well.

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken and Rice:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 med onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, grated or cut into matchsticks
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
2 tsp salt (we used sea salt), divided
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 bay leaves, optional
1 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay
5 cups hot low sodium chicken broth
2 cups medium grain rice such as Jasmine rice (un-rinsed)**
1 head garlic
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

** A note on using brown rice instead of Jasmine rice. 2 of my readers both tried brown rice and both said they had great results but it took 45 minutes too cook rather than 15 minutes. Another reader said she tried instant brown rice and it took the same amount of time to cook as Jasmine rice.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal). You'll be going back for refills! @NatashasKitchen

How to Make the Best Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole:

1. Using a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid, over medium/high heat, add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Once butter is melted and hot, stir in diced onion, grated carrots and 1 tsp salt. Sautee until soft and golden (8-10 min).

Creamy Chicken and Rice-7

2. Add trimmed, chopped chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, another 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is golden on all sides (5 mins).

Creamy Chicken and Rice-8

3. Increase the heat to high and add 1 cup white wine. Boil down the wine, scraping the bottom until most of the wine has evaporated.

Creamy Chicken and Rice-16

4. Add the hot chicken broth, then stir in the rice.

Creamy Chicken and Rice-9

5. Without separating the cloves (leaving the root end intact), slice the end off a whole head of garlic to expose the garlic cloves. Set the whole head into the center of your rice, sliced side down. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is fully cooked (15 mins).

Creamy Chicken and Rice-10 Creamy Chicken and Rice-13

6. Turn off the heat, remove garlic head (you can either push the cloves of garlic out into the rice and eat it or discard it) and quickly stir in remaining 2 Tbsp butter until fully incorporated. Finally, stir in chopped parsley and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. It should be creamy. Serve right away or leave the lid on to keep it warm until serving.

Creamy Chicken and Rice-11 Creamy Chicken and Rice-12Creamy Chicken and Rice

Garnish with fresh parsley to serve.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal). You'll be going back for refills! @natashaskitchen

Credits: This chicken and rice recipe was inspired by my Beef Plov recipe and Lidia Matticchio’s Traditional Rice & Chicken

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal)

4.92 from 549 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Creamy Chicken and Rice
This chicken and rice dish is so satisfying - a must try! It has all of the heartiness of plov and creamy deliciousness of a risotto. The chicken turns out tender and so flavorful.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 10 people
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 med onion, finely diced
  • 2 large carrots, grated or cut into matchsticks
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
  • 2 tsp salt, we used sea salt, divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 bay leaves, optional
  • 1 cup dry white wine , such as Chardonnay
  • 5 cups low sodium chicken broth, hot
  • 2 cups medium grain rice, or Jasmine rice, un-rinsed**
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1/3 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded, plus more for serving

Instructions

  • Using a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid, over medium/high heat, add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Once butter is melted and hot, stir in diced onion, grated carrots and 1 tsp salt. Sautee until soft and golden (8-10 min).
  • Add trimmed, chopped chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, another 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is golden on all sides (5 mins).
  • Increase the heat to high and add 1 cup white wine. Boil down the wine, scraping the bottom until most of the wine has evaporated.
  • Add the hot chicken broth, then stir in the rice.
  • Without separating the cloves (leaving the root end intact), slice the end off a whole head of garlic to expose the garlic cloves. Set the whole head into the center of your rice, sliced side down. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is fully cooked (15 mins).
  • Turn off the heat, remove garlic head (you can either push the cloves of garlic out into the rice and eat it or discard it) and quickly stir in remaining 2 Tbsp butter until fully incorporated. Finally, stir in chopped parsley and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. It should be creamy. Serve right away or leave the lid on to keep it warm until serving. Garnish with more fresh parsley to serve.

Notes

** A note on using brown rice instead of Jasmine rice. 2 of my readers both tried brown rice and both said they had great results but it took 45 minutes too cook rather than 15 minutes. Another reader said she tried instant brown rice and it took the same amount of time to cook as Jasmine rice.

Nutrition Per Serving

385kcal Calories35g Carbs23g Protein15g Fat6g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat7g Monounsaturated Fat0.2g Trans Fat58mg Cholesterol628mg Sodium500mg Potassium1g Fiber2g Sugar2388IU Vitamin A5mg Vitamin C96mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal)
Amount per Serving
Calories
385
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Trans Fat
 
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
7
g
Cholesterol
 
58
mg
19
%
Sodium
 
628
mg
27
%
Potassium
 
500
mg
14
%
Carbohydrates
 
35
g
12
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
23
g
46
%
Vitamin A
 
2388
IU
48
%
Vitamin C
 
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
 
96
mg
10
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 385

.Final Final Picmonkey Hashtag bannerCreamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal). You'll be going back for refills! @natashaskitchen

Have you tried this chicken and rice? What is your family’s favorite weeknight meal?

Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal). You'll be going back for refills!

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Robin
    January 4, 2015

    I made this tonight, and it is delightful. I would really like to make a double batch next time and freeze one. Have you had success freezing this recipe?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 4, 2015

      I haven’t tried freezing it, but I imagine it would work well.

      Reply

  • Jenn
    December 30, 2014

    If you are making this without using the wine…. how would you do that? Just skip that step? I looks amazing!!!

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 30, 2014

      You can still follow the recipe just use 1 cup of chicken broth instead and reduce it down the same way.

      Reply

  • Kristina
    December 22, 2014

    Made this last night (found it on pinterest). It was delicious, even the kids loved it! Sharing it with all my friends!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 22, 2014

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the great review 🙂

      Reply

  • Alina
    December 21, 2014

    Do I have to use wine or would it be okay without it in this dish? Because I’m prego and the smell when cooking with wine makes me verrrryy dizzy and sick. But I really want to try this recipe! 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 22, 2014

      I always use white wine because it enhances the flavor, but some of my readers have reported great results with just adding a little more chicken broth. You might need to season it slightly more to taste 🙂

      Reply

  • Jess
    December 19, 2014

    Making this now, smells amazing! Only thing I did different was omit bay leaves (allergy) and add a pinch of curry. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 19, 2014

      Oh wow I haven’t heard of basil allergies. What kind of symptoms do you get and how did you discover it was bay? Curry sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing your tip! 😉

      Reply

  • Melissa
    December 15, 2014

    I made this last night exactly as written, and it was great! I was looking for a chicken and rice recipe that didn’t use cream soups, and am really glad I settled on this one. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 15, 2014

      Thanks for the great review Melissa and you are very welcome :).

      Reply

  • neyana
    December 12, 2014

    Can I use cooking white wine?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 12, 2014

      It will still taste very good, but a better quality wine will taste better. Let me know what you think of the recipe. Oh, p.s. make sure it’s not a wine vinegar, but an actual cooking white wine :).

      Reply

  • Jessica
    December 11, 2014

    Thank you for introducing me to the culinary side of my Ukrainian heritage! This is one of our favorite things to make for dinner.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 11, 2014

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for the great review 🙂

      Reply

  • Lori
    December 10, 2014

    Just made this, it was delicious!!! I didn’t have time to take a picture! Thanks for a great recipe!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 10, 2014

      It’s always a good sign when it gets eaten before you can even take a picture! 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  • Muhammad Rehman Khan
    December 10, 2014

    Hi,
    Hope that you are doing great.
    Nice Recipe. I will have to cook it now!
    I think there should be an option to email the recipe next to Print Recipe.
    Regards,

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 10, 2014

      No problem! 🙂 If you go to the bottom of the post and see where the social media sharing buttons are, click on the green one on the left and it opens a window for loads of other sharing options, one of which is “Email this”. I hope that helps. Thanks Muhammad 🙂

      Reply

  • Winefred Martin
    December 10, 2014

    I am definitely going to try this!! So glad to find a “creamy” chicken recipe that does not call for some sort of “cream soup”.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 10, 2014

      I hope you absolutely love it! It’s definitely a reader and family favorite 🙂

      Reply

  • Ashley
    December 9, 2014

    I made this last week and it was delicious! I think I will add frozen peas with the Parmesan at the end next time. Not that it needs it, but I think it would be yummy too! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 9, 2014

      That’s a great idea! I love adding more veggies to dishes 🙂

      Reply

  • Katie
    December 7, 2014

    This came out great! I made it without the parmesan and ended us using less broth. I used Goya brand Jasmine rice and that requires 4 cups of water to 2 cups of rice.

    My husband loved it!

    Will def make again.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 7, 2014

      I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks Katie 🙂

      Reply

  • Lindsey
    December 2, 2014

    I don’t have any white wine, could I use red instead, or will that taste funny?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 2, 2014

      I don’t think red wine would work, but my readers have reported good results with just using more broth. 🙂

      Reply

  • Bibi
    December 1, 2014

    I made this dish for dinner tonight and boy was it delicious. My husband was raving about it and he has never raved about my cooking like this before.

    I didn’t have carrots, so I substituted grated butternut square and only used a 1/2 cup of chardonnay instead of a cup.

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 1, 2014

      I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you for the awesome review 🙂

      Reply

  • Andrea
    December 1, 2014

    Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe!!!!! My house smelled wonderful while it was cooking, and my family loved it! This is my first recipe from your site, and I have to tell you, I can’t wait to try more!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 1, 2014

      I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for the great review 🙂

      Reply

  • Scarefloor
    November 23, 2014

    Loved this! I’m a terrible recipe follower, but only changes I made was to throw some sliced mushrooms in, and I put in triple the cheese. I also did the chicken thighs in the oven separately with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. I used arborio rice so it did look more like a risotto, so delicious, I’ll make again very soon.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 24, 2014

      I’m so happy you loved it and thank you for sharing your substitutions! 🙂

      Reply

  • Colleen
    November 22, 2014

    Made this tonight for dinner and really enjoyed the end product. However, it felt like the 1/4 cup of olive oil at the beginning was a little much and I’ll probably cut down next time. Also the white wine didn’t boil down quite as well as I had anticipated so I simply cut back on the chicken stock by about a cup and the rice still cooked beautifully. One thing I do whenever I’m using ingredients I plan to remove (bay leaves and the like) is placed them in these soaking bags I got years ago at an Amish market- males removing those items easier in the end. All in all a wonderful dish with a really nice, complex flavor- perfect for a cold, rainy day like today! Thanks for sharing your recipes!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 23, 2014

      I love the idea of placing the bay leaves into soaking bags. I’ll have to see if we have an Amish market nearby! 🙂 I bet they have something available online too. Thank you for the tip! I’m so glad you enjoyed the rice 🙂

      Reply

  • inna
    November 19, 2014

    Hi natasha, I made this meal but it turned out really salty, I used the chicken base too but I don’t know if mine is less sodium, did you do 5tsp on 5 cups of water, I don’t think you mentioned the proportions on that. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 20, 2014

      The reduced sodium better than bouillon that I use specifies 1 tsp for every cup of water and that is the way I make the broth. It will definitely make a difference if you don’t use the reduced sodium version; in that case you probably want to reduce or omit the extra salt and add it to taste in the end. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Stephaie
    November 18, 2014

    This was perfect comfort food for a cold winter like night. I made 2 changes-added fresh broccoli at the same time as rice because we have to have greens with dinner. I also subbed chicken breast but thought it would be better shredded than in chunks so I slow cooked it beforehand. It turned out great-got the thumbs up to keep it in the dinner rotation.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 18, 2014

      I lov the idea of adding broccoli! We love to incorporate as much veggies in our diet as possible also. 🙂 Thanks for the great review!

      Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.