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One Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice

One pot creamy chicken and rice with golden seared chicken thighs and fluffy, glossy long-grain rice. The rice absorbs chicken pan drippings and a rich cream-Parmesan sauce for a comfort-food-style weeknight easy chicken dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and rice
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning to taste.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 7-8 minutes until deeply golden.
  3. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 minutes, then remove from the pot.
Toast rice and build the sauce
  1. Cook the diced onion in the same Dutch oven for 3 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the uncooked long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes.
  4. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then stir in the Parmesan cheese and dried thyme.
  5. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Simmer, rest, and finish
  1. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice.
  2. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 22-25 minutes until the rice is cooked and the chicken reaches 165°F.
  3. Rest the pot covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice gently.
  4. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the Dutch oven covered during the low-heat cook so the rice steams to fluffy, glossy texture. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy rice can break after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a similar creamy finish.