Creamy chicken and rice made in just one skillet with minimal prep! This is the best way to get my kiddos to eat their spinach – it blends right in with the rice and they devour it all! This is a comfort food classic made extra easy.
I’m going to let you in on a dark and dirty secret from my past. Do you think you can handle this?
When I was a child, I used to put ketchup on white rice. And then I would eat it.
Whew. Glad I got that off my chest. That little secret has been eating away at me.
It was actually delicious and, while I haven’t done it in years, I still think it would probably taste good. In fact, I might try it with dinner tonight. 😉
These days I’m more like to serve up rice in casseroles or skillet meals, rather than as a side dish. I’m not sure why – I just don’t often think about rice as a side.
This easy chicken and rice is beyond simple to make and it’s the perfect one dish dinner. I veg it up with some carrots and spinach, toss in chunks of chicken, and add a bit of cream to make it extra decadent, flavorful, and rich. This meal is delicious comfort food and it’s so easy to make!
How to make one pot chicken and rice:
To start, you’ll want to heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. I like to use my cast iron (affiliate link) for this.
Add in a bit of olive oil to the pan until it starts to shimmer and then toss in some chunks of seasoned chicken breasts.
Once the chicken is browned, you’ll add in your carrots, rice, and garlic along with some chicken broth.
You’re going to let this cook for about 20 minutes. The liquid will have been absorbed into the rice so the rice is soft, fluffy, and just about ready to eat.
Stir in some spinach and then cover the dish to let the spinach wilt a bit.
Remove the lid, stir in the cream, and that’s it, friends! Dinner is served!
This easy chicken and rice recipe is beyond simple, so filling, and always a hit.
I always have heavy cream on hand for my coffee and for baking. I also use it in a lot of low carb recipes. However, I know many people don’t keep it on hand. Here is a handy list of substitutes for heavy cream.
More rice recipes to try:
Spam Fried Rice: I don’t normally eat Spam, but it’s amazing in fried rice!
Chicken and Rice with Broccoli: Just like this one, but with broccoli instead of spinach.
Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice: An excellent low carb option!
Chicken and Rice Casserole: Toss it all in a dish and bake it!
Bacon Fried Rice: My all time favorite!!
Creamy Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add the olive oil to a large, deep skillet over medium heat and heat until shimmering.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until chicken is browned on the outside, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, carrots, garlic, and chicken broth to the pan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to medium low and cover pan. Cook for 20 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and rice is tender. Stir halfway through cooking.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the spinach . Stir to combine. Cover the pan and let sit for 5 minutes to wilt the spinach.
- Stir in the cream and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Leona Barbian says
I love this recipe! I’m a 20 year old living by myself so I always try find easy quick easy non processed things to make after a long day of learning! Even my friends beg me to make this, and I have a intolerance to dairy so some lactose free Greek yogurt is an easy swap for the cream and it tastes amazing! You rock!
Karly says
Thanks, Leona! So glad you enjoy the recipe. 🙂