Creamy Chicken and Rice: A One Pot Recipe!

I cook my lunches for the week every.single.Sunday. It is my routine and helps me A) Not eat out for lunch everyday and B) Eat a bit healthier. I am always looking for new recipes that can easily be separated into small containers and that reheat well via microwave.

I found this Creamy Chicken and Rice recipe on Pinterest via Natasha's Kitchen and wanted to give it a try. I knew it would be a perfect take-to-work-lunch with a side salad. I especially had to try the recipe when I read that it was a one pot recipe! Say what?!?! One pot recipes are now my new favorite.

Overall, this recipe was so easy to make and I consider myself a beginner with cooking. It was also delicious with a lot of flavor. The recipe made a lot so I have enough dinner for every lunch this week but some leftovers to eat for dinner or I could freeze the remainder for a week down the road in which I don't feel like cooking.

Image via Natasha's Kitchen.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 med or ½ large onion, finely diced
• 2 large carrots, grated on the large grater or cut into matchsticks
• 1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1" pieces
• 2 tsp salt (we used sea salt), divided
• ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay
• 5 cups hot reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups medium grain rice such as Jasmine rice (un-rinsed)
• 1 head garlic
• ⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped, plus more to serve
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve

 

Instructions

1. Using a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid, over medium/high heat, add ¼ 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).
2. Add trimmed, chopped chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, another 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is golden on all sides (5 mins).
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.
4. Add the hot chicken broth, then stir in the rice.
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).
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 ½ 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.

Recipe and image via Natasha's Kitchen. 

Thank you Natasha for sharing a great recipe on your blog. Cannot wait to try more.

Do you have a great lunch recipe? Please do share! :)