You know those nights when you just want something warm, filling, and ridiculously easy? This creamy chicken and rice skillet is exactly that kind of dinner. It's the recipe I turn to when I've had a long day and Emily's asking "what's for dinner?" for the third time in twenty minutes.
I've been making this dish since my college days (back when my cooking skills were... questionable at best!). The first time I tried it, I accidentally used way too much broth and thought I'd ruined it. Turns out, that "mistake" created the most amazing saucy rice I'd ever tasted! Sometimes the best recipes come from happy accidents, right?
What I really like about this recipe is that it's basically foolproof. Everything cooks in one skillet, the chicken stays tender, and that melted cheese on top? Pure comfort food magic. Plus, it costs around $7 to make the whole thing, which makes my budget-conscious heart very happy.
If you're into easy one-pot meals like this, you'll probably want to check out my slow cooker creamy chicken and dumplings too – it's another cozy winter dinner that basically cooks itself.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Creamy Chicken And Rice Recipe
- Ingredients For Chicken And Rice Skillet
- How To Make Creamy Chicken And Rice In One Pot
- How To Store And Reheat This One Pot Meal
- Tips And Variations For Chicken And Rice Skillet
- Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken And Rice
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On This Easy Chicken Rice Recipe
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Why You'll Love This Creamy Chicken And Rice Recipe
- Super quick prep - I'm talking 5 minutes of actual chopping and measuring. The rest is just letting it simmer while you do literally anything else.
- One skillet wonder - Less dishes means more time relaxing after dinner. Emily and I have a deal where she sets the table if there's minimal cleanup!
- Budget-friendly - Under $2 per serving! This is way cheaper than takeout and honestly tastes better too.
- Incredibly tender chicken - The chicken cooks perfectly in the rice mixture without drying out. No overcooked, rubbery chicken here.
- Creamy, cheesy goodness - That heavy cream makes the rice so luscious, and the melted cheddar on top takes it over the edge.
- Makes great leftovers - I actually think this tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have mingled together.
Ingredients For Chicken And Rice Skillet
- 1 yellow onion - Adds a sweet, savory base flavor that makes everything taste homey
- 2 tablespoon butter - Because butter makes everything better, and it helps brown the chicken beautifully
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about ⅔ lb.) - Feel free to use chicken thighs if you want something richer
- 1 cup long grain white rice - Regular white rice works perfectly here
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme - Gives it that comforting herb flavor
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage - Just a hint! Don't skip this one
- ¼ teaspoon salt - Plus more to taste later
- Freshly cracked pepper - Fresh is SO much better than pre-ground
- 3 cups chicken broth - I use low-sodium so I can control the salt level
- ½ lb. frozen peas and carrots - No need to thaw! Straight from the freezer works great
- ⅓ cup heavy cream - This is what makes it truly creamy
- 4 oz. cheddar, shredded - I like sharp cheddar for more flavor
How To Make Creamy Chicken And Rice In One Pot
Sauté The Base
- Dice your onion and toss it into an oven-safe deep skillet (you'll need one with about 3 quart capacity) along with the butter.
- Turn the heat to medium and sauté until the onions get soft and see-through. This takes about 5 minutes and makes your kitchen smell amazing.
Cook The Chicken
- While those onions are doing their thing, dice the chicken breast into small pieces – I go for about ½-inch cubes. Smaller pieces cook faster and give you chicken in every bite!
- Add the diced chicken to the skillet and keep sautéing for about 3 minutes more. You're just looking for the outside to turn white and opaque. The chicken will finish cooking as it simmers with the rice, so don't worry about getting it completely cooked through right now.
Add Rice And Seasonings
- Throw in the rice, thyme, sage, salt, and a good amount of freshly cracked pepper (I do about ten cranks of my pepper mill). Pour in all that chicken broth and give everything a good stir.
- This is where the magic starts to happen! Put a lid on your skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. You want to get that broth boiling.
Simmer Until Tender
- Once you've got a full boil going, turn the heat way down to low and let everything simmer for 15 minutes. Give it a stir every so often and put the lid back on each time.
- Here's the thing – cooking the rice in extra broth and stirring occasionally creates this amazing saucy texture instead of just plain steamed rice. It's what makes this recipe special!
- After 15 minutes, check your rice. It should be tender and saucy. If it's still a bit firm, just let it cook for another 5 minutes.
Add Vegetables And Cream
- Stir in those frozen peas and carrots right from the freezer. No need to thaw them first! Put the lid back on and keep the heat at medium-low for another 5 minutes. This warms the veggies through perfectly.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir it all together. Now taste it! You might want to add a bit more salt depending on how salty your broth was. I usually need to add a pinch or two.
Finish With Cheese
- Turn on your oven's broiler. Sprinkle all that shredded cheddar over the top of your rice mixture.
- Pop the whole skillet under the broiler for just a few minutes until the cheese melts and gets bubbly. Watch it carefully – broilers work fast and you don't want burnt cheese!
- Serve it up hot and watch everyone dig in.
How To Store And Reheat This One Pot Meal
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I'll be honest, we rarely have leftovers because Emily and I devour this, but when we do, they're really good!
To reheat, I just microwave individual portions with a splash of chicken broth or milk to bring back that creamy texture. The rice can dry out a bit in the fridge, so that extra liquid is key.
You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and adding a bit of broth as needed.
If you want to freeze it, skip adding the cream and cheese before freezing. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat on the stovetop, then stir in the cream and top with fresh cheese.
Tips And Variations For Chicken And Rice Skillet
Switch up the protein - Turkey would work great here too. I've also made this with leftover rotisserie chicken – just add it at the end with the vegetables since it's already cooked.
Add more veggies - Broccoli florets, green beans, or corn would all be delicious. Sometimes I throw in whatever vegetables I have hanging around in my fridge. Why let them go to waste?
Make it spicier - A pinch of red pepper flakes or some diced jalapeños would kick this up a notch. Emily's not a fan of spicy food, so I usually skip this, but when I make it just for myself? Bring on the heat!
Try different cheese - Pepper jack would be amazing if you want some spice. Gruyere would make it fancy (Who talks like that at my age???!). Even mozzarella works in a pinch.
Use different herbs - Fresh herbs are SO much better if you have them. A tablespoon of fresh thyme instead of dried makes a huge difference.
Brown rice option - If you want to use brown rice, you'll need to increase the cooking time to about 40 minutes and add an extra cup of broth. Brown rice needs more time and liquid to get tender.
Have you ever made a one-pot meal that turned out way better than expected? This is definitely one of those recipes for me!
Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken And Rice
Brown rice requires longer cooking time (40-45 minutes) and more liquid. Add an extra cup of broth and increase simmering time to 40 minutes.
Yes! Substitute with milk, half-and-half, or Greek yogurt stirred in at the end. For dairy-free, use coconut cream or cashew cream.
Store covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to restore creaminess.
Skip the broiler step and simply stir the shredded cheese into the hot rice mixture until melted, or transfer to a baking dish before adding cheese.
Recipes You May Like
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole - Another cozy one-dish chicken dinner that's perfect for busy weeknights
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken - If you're into creamy chicken dishes like this one, you'll want to try this garlic parmesan version
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken And Dumplings - For those days when you want to throw everything in the slow cooker and forget about it
Final Thoughts On This Easy Chicken Rice Recipe
This creamy chicken and rice skillet has saved dinner more times than I can count. It's quick, it's budget-friendly, and it tastes like you put way more effort into it than you actually did (which is always a win in my book!).
The combination of tender chicken, creamy rice, and melted cheese on top just hits the spot, especially during these cold winter months when all you want is something warm and comforting.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! Don't forget to save this to your Pinterest boards so you can find it again when you need an easy weeknight dinner idea.
Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Dice the onion and add it to an oven safe deep skillet (3 qt. capacity) along with the butter. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.
- While the onions are cooking, dice the chicken breast into small, ½-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the skillet and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes more, or just until the outside of the chicken pieces have turned opaque (the chicken will finish cooking through as it simmers with the rice).
- Add the rice, thyme, sage, salt, some freshly cracked pepper (about ten cranks of a pepper mill), and the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come to a boil. Once it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let the skillet simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, replacing the lid each time. Cooking the rice in an excess of broth and stirring occasionally as it cooks will produce a saucy rice mixture.
- After 15 minutes, the rice should be tender and saucy (if not yet tender, let it continue to cook for 5 more minutes). Stir in the frozen vegetables (no need to thaw), replace the lid, and let it sit over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes to heat the vegetables through. Finally, add the heavy cream, stir to combine, taste, and add extra salt if needed (this will depend on the salt content of the broth you used).
- Turn on the oven's broiler, top the skillet with the shredded cheese, and place the skillet in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve hot.
