Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice – This deliciously creamy chicken and rice is one of the easiest one pot meals you will ever make! Juicy chicken and rice are cooked together in a buttery broth then mixed up with cream and parmesan cheese for a luscious 30 minute one pan dinner!
Chicken and rice is something that is very nostalgic for me. I always looked forward to a big cheesy casserole pan full of gooey chicken and rice goodness. It was asking a lot as a kid because my mom can’t stand rice! What a sweetie she is for still cooking it up for me anyway.
Since chicken and rice really is such a staple I can say with honesty that I have no clue why I haven’t posted this sooner! That’s right, you guys. I have plenty of recipes that are great served with rice like this Hawaiian BBQ Chicken and these Grape Jelly Meatballs. But, there was no chicken and rice! Now there is something officially cooked together with rice in a kind of one pot casserole. Day saved!
Basically, my goal here was to simplify one of my fave childhood dinners into a really quick one pot dinner. If you are a regular follower you also know I don’t have a problem using canned soups. But, I like using all fresh ingredients whenever possible. It’s just as budget friendly and easy, there’s really no reason not to!
Mission accomplished with this dish. Simple ingredients like cream, parmesan, chicken broth, spices, and usual suspects like onion and garlic come together to create a truly heavenly chicken and rice.
Tips for Making Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice:
- You will want to use a large (12 inch) skillet that has a lid for this recipe. If you don’t have a skillet like that you can find one that I love down below the printable recipe card (affiliate link) or you can also use a good sized pot or dutch oven with a lid.
- Melting your butter is your first step. After that, go ahead and add the onion and let them cook for 2-3 minutes before adding your garlic. Garlic only takes 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook, and you don’t want to add it too soon or it will burn and taste bitter.
- Use long grain rice for this recipe, not minute/instant rice. If you use quick cooking rice, it will cook too quickly and become mushy. Any long grain rice will work!
- Most of the cooking time for this one pot chicken and rice is completely hands off. You will have about 15-20 minutes for the rice and chicken to simmer. I love to take that time to chop up a quick green salad to have on the side!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice - This deliciously creamy chicken and rice is one of the easiest one pot meals you will ever make! Juicy chicken and rice are cooked together in a buttery broth then mixed up with cream and parmesan cheese for a luscious 30 minute one pan dinner!
- 1.5 Pounds Chicken Breasts, Cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Large onion, Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced (3 Teaspoons)
- 2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup long grain white rice
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley for serving, Optional
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Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until beginning to soften.
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Add the diced chicken to the pan along with the Italian seasoning, pepper, and salt.
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Cook and stir for 5 minutes until chicken is golden on all sides.
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Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly.
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Add the chicken broth and rice to the pan and stir.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low.
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Cover with a lid and simmer for 17-20 minutes, until rice is completely tender.
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Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Serve immediately topped with parsley if desired.
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Love one pot meals and this one looks delicious!
This looks absolutely amazing! I love one pot meals!!
Who doesn’t love a fabulous one-pot meal! I love how creamy this is! This looks like a keeper to reach for again and again!
This is a must try recipe! Perfect for a weeknight meal!
This is definitely going on my menu this wk!
I love that this is made in one pot! Quick, easy, and delicious!
This sounds amazing right now! Love the parmesan flavors!
Ok, I’ve never made 2 or more recipes from the same person/website before. First the chicken thighs, now this. It was extremely delicious. I will be making both of these again. Thanks Nichole
You are too kind! Thank you so much, it makes me very happy that you are enjoying my recipes! 🙂
i found that i needed to cook the rice a lot longer . what kind of rice did you use
@Jan, I personally used both Jasmine and Basmati rice in this recipe and both have worked just fine in the 17-20 minutes recommended
Do you think this could be converted to an Instant Pot recipe? It sounds delicious.
Thanks, I’m glad you think it sounds good! I actually haven’t tried it in my instant pot yet. I do think it could be adapted for sure. But, it’s hard for me to give a specific answer on time and liquid ratio since I haven’t tested it out, if that makes sense. I will keep this one in mind for my next Instant Pot recipe, and if you decide to try it out in yours please let me know how it goes! 🙂
I’m trying in out now in the instapot. I will let y’all know how it turns out.
Made this for 7 people last night and everyone LOVED it! I scooped a small amount out of the pan before adding the cream and cheese for my little one who is allergic to milk and his portion was good as well (not quite AS good, but still really good)! The big kids were scraping their plates and asked for thirds! DELICIOUS and SO EASY!
Awesome! Thanks, Megan I’m glad you all loved it 🙂
What kind of parm cheese do you use-shredded? Grated? Shaved?
I use shredded parmesan for this recipe. Fresh shredded is best if possible 🙂
Thanks for asking, that was my question, too. I bought both and thought I’d check here before I cook it.
I cooked this on Saturday and I’m cooking it again tomorrow (Thursday) it was so good! The only issue I had was too much pepper. I put 1 teaspoon in like the recipe said but it was way too much. Wondering if anyone else had this issue? Anyway, it was super delicious and easy!
Hi! I’m glad you enjoyed this, and thank you for letting me know! As far as the pepper, we like the full teaspoon for lots of flavor. Seasoning is always best left to preference. If it was too much I’d suggest going with even 1/4 teaspoon and then adding more from there. 🙂
I made this last night and we gobbled it up but I felt the same thing about the pepper. I’m going to make it again and do 1/4 tsp pepper. I also felt that the Italian seasoning was too much. I might just be the spice I have is really potent but I’m going to cut it in half next time. Definitely going to make again just need to adjust the amount of seasoning a bit for me and my fam.
My rule of thumb for adding pepper is add no more than 1/2 the amount of salt the recipe calls for. So if recipe calls for 1 tsp salt, I would typically add 1/2tsp pepper and start from there.
If i don’t have cream in hand, can I use whole milk instead?
Yes, you can, it might not be quite as thick.
Mix it with a little butter to simulate the heavy cteam . I do with with my almond milk and it works great.
First time commenting on any recipe, I’ve just made this tonight and it was delicious and so easy to make! Thanks for sharing – this is going to become a regular in my house ☺️
A nice, quick dinner. We added broccoli half way through the simmering stage, and used fat free 1/2 and 1/2 to lighten up the recipe. It turned out great!
Going to try this & add broccoli! Thanks for the suggestion!
What is the cream?
Do you think this could work wit cauliflower “rice”? It sounds delicious!
Yes, I think it would work just fine with cauliflower rice!
Would all the cooking times and instructions be the same with the cauliflower rice?
If i use the pressure cooker, how long should i cook it for?
Hi, I actually haven’t made this recipe in my instant pot yet. But, I am working on it, and I will let you know when the recipe is available if you’d like 🙂
I’m wondering if this might be ok to mix all the ingredients together and put in a container to give to someone in need of a meal and all they have to do is throw it in a pot or skillet and cook?
This dish warms over well, so even if you cook it first before gifting it away it will still be yummy for them.
Im going to try this tonight and add broccoli! Thanks for the recipe!
Can you use brown rice instead of white. Jasmine rice?
Hi, you should be able to do that. However, you may need to increase the amount of liquid if using brown rice.
Can you use pre-cooked rice? I have some in the fridge and was wondering how that would change it? It’s brown rice. Thanks!
I think you can, but it will come out more liquidy since the rice is already cooked and won’t be absorbing the liquid.
Yum! It looks delicious. please share recipes of 7 serves. I’ll definitely try it.
Sooo, good!!! A definite keeper!! Super easy and a fast one skillet meal!! Comfort food for sure😊
Fantastic meal!!!!! Definitely a keeper!!
Made this last night. We all loved it. Especially me because it was quick and easy. Very good for a busy mom and a hungry family!
Any suggestions for doubling the recipe?
Looking forward to trying this…Do you think I could use minute rice (that’s all I have on hand and was hoping to make it tonight 😉) and cut back the cooking time? And if so, how long do you think?
Thanks,
Tesha
Hi! Yes, I think you could use minute rice and just add it during the last few minutes of cooking. 🙂
Thank you!
This chicken and rice sounds so good! I need to add it to our menu for this week!
I love recipes like this. So easy and convenient.
Now I am hungry! Looks so tasty!
Just made this and everyone LOVED it! The recipe was so simple and it was easy to make. I’m definitely making this again!
A one pan wonder that everyone needs to try that is for sure!
One pan dinners are the best!
Very good and easy to make.
Delicious dish, next time I’ll use less broth was little soupy on bottom, but a definite redo!! So much can b done adding a different veggie in in also, thank you
I love a one pot meal! Makes things so easy!
Made this last night and it was a hit with my boys. A definite keeper. Quick and easy recipe. (Chicken tenders were easier to cut up). Thanks for the recipe!
Great! Thanks, Lisa! 🙂
So excited for this recipe! I’m tryign to be low carb, could I swap the rice for cauliflower rice? Do you know if I would want to use less broth or liquid, since it might not absorb as much as rice? Thank you!!
I made this tonight and it was really easy to make (and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like to cook) and it was delicious!! I’ve only written two reviews for recipes and they were both from this website so I’ll be coming back to The Salty Marshmallow for future recipes. Thanks!
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Well I used cauliflower rice and added
Broccoli to this recipe. It was delicious!! BUT remember cauliflower and broccoli and vegetables that cause lots of gas in some! If you use cauliflower rice reduce liquid since it will not soak up like rice will. So, so incredibly delicious!
Thanks for letting us know how it worked out with the cauliflower rice! 🙂
This was really delicious comfort food. It would be even better with some artichoke hearts in it. I am going to add those next time.
Would this recipe lend itself to fat free half and half instead of heavy cream?.
Awesome! Well seasoned and super easy to make. Can’t wait to make it again.
This was delicious! My family devoured it. I used ghee instead of butter – excellent flavor. Thanks!
Is this grated or shredded Parmesan?
Shredded 🙂
Made this for supper tonight and it was delicious! My son hates rice but every once in awhile I find a recipe he’ll eat. Not only did he eat it, it loved it. There almost wasn’t enough left for my other kid who was at work. He came home and warmed his share up and said it was delicious as well. So whether it’s fresh off the stove or reheated, we have a new family favorite here. I’m thrilled that I can have a rice dish with no whining! Thanks so much.
I made this a few days ago and it was a hit! My husband said it was one of his favorites, and he was sad I ate the leftovers before he got home! We didn’t have Italian seasoning and I couldn’t find my tsp measuring spoon (facepalm) so I just guessed with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder and it turned out great. I’m planning on trying it again with broccoli added soon. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Like others I don’t normally leave comments, but this is easy, and absolutley fabulous. Can’t wait to make it is again. Just a side note I used boneless skinless chicken thighs as I had on hand. Thank you again.
That was so satisfying!! I also used boneless skinless thighs as that is what I had on hand. I also squeezed a bit of fresh lemon on it once it was plated. I think next time I will add some sliced button mushrooms to send it over the too. Thank you for sharing such a delicious version of chicken and rice!
This is my new favorite one-pot dish! I doubled the recipe, but I did not double the onion or garlic, and it was still pretty garlicky. My family loves garlic, so it was fine, but if you’re not a BIG fan of garlic, it would be too much. This is creamy and cheesy and satisfying. We’ll be making this at least once a week! Thank you for this recipe!
Do u think this could all go in slow cooker
I haven’t tested this recipe out in the slow cooker so it’s hard for me to give an accurate answer, I’d say if you try it to use your best judgement!
Great recipe, just made it tonight. Didn’t have heavy cream – used mascarpone cheese instead. Thanks for the quick and easy weeeknight recipe!
This was DELICIOUS. It was even better when we ate the leftovers a few days later. The only things I did differently was I added 6 cloves of garlic (I’m a garlic freak and always double what the recipe calls for) and used 1/2 and 1/2 instead of the cream. I let some of the extra chicken broth absorb with the heat turned off and the pan still covered prior to adding the 1/2 and 1/2 and cheese. I highly recommend this dish. I am making it again tonight.
This was so good!! I used yogurt instead of heavy cream and it turned out great. Thank-you!
Has anyone made this with a milk sub like coconut milk or would that make it too runny?
Delicious and easy recipe! I substituted coconut milk instead of heavy cream, added broccoli and mushrooms since I had some in the fridge and it turned out wonderful! Family loved it!
This was really good. Expecting the leftovers for lunch to be good also! I may use just a little less italian seasoning next time, but def making again!!!
Well, that was damned delicious! Followed the recipe as written and added 10oz of (thawed/drained) frozen spinach when I added the rice & broth. I think you could add just about any veggie to this, but no doubt, it’s yummy as is too. It’s a keeper, thanks!
I used ground sea salt, ground black peppper, red bell pepper, english peas and broccoli. It was so good we had it two nights in a row.
This recipe is so simple to make and DELICIOUS!!! So glad I found it.
SOOO delicious and easy, one of my favorite recipes now!
I made this tonight for my family and everyone LOVED it!! This recipe is definitely a keeper! Yum!!!!
I made this tonight and added baby bella mushrooms. It was delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe. The flavor was good. I cooked it with 2.5 cups of chicken stock and basmati rice, simmering for 20 minutes. In my case, the rice grains broke down into something similar to congee, which I didn’t really mind. I might consider backing off a bit on either the amount of broth or cooking time. I added a cup of about 3″ long eighth inch thick slices of red bell pepper at 15 minutes into simmering and a cup of snow peas at the 18 minute mark. I thought the veggies were a good addition, adding color and nutrition. They also made me feel slightly better about the butter, parmesan, and heavy cream…;-)
Hi I’m making this recipe for the first time tonight, my question is do you think I can add Sautéed Italian mushrooms to the mix ??? I was going to fully cook the mushrooms then add them toward the end … And suggestions ?
I made this for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING! My whole family asked for seconds. This will be going in our recipe box for sure. Thanks!
This recipe was great, my pickiest kid even loved it. I always thought the comment section was for leaving comments but after reading some of these I realize it is where you go after trying to ruin the original recipe. So challenge accepted. Again, original recipe was great! Here is what i did, used the cauliflower instead of rice like one of the other posters cause that sounded horrible, then i replaced the chicken with the cheapest can of tuna I could find, one step above catfood, then instead of cream I used strawberry yogurt cause you know, summer! Finally I just removed the cheese because cheese can fix just about anything. Happy eating.
Thanks for the laugh!! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
I’m trying to keep low carb, would this work with califlower rice instead of regular rice?
Yes, that should work fine 🙂
This recipe is awesome! I’ve even made it with pork instead of chicken. One other modification is that I’ve used onion powder instead of an onion in a pinch and of course I always add extra minced garlic!
Ridiculously Good!!! Added extra heavy cream and cheese and it was AMAZING!
Hi, have made this recipe several times and loved it. Making it again tonight and checking if you think using roasted garlic would make a big difference? Have some left over and would rather use that than going and buying some fresh garlic.
Hi! I think it would be really good with roasted garlic instead! 🙂
I made this this evening and it was delicious. My tweek was adding fresh chopped kale to the pot almost immediately after the onions. I will make this again. 🍽️
IT was delicious. My family love it . Easy to make definitely 4 stars
I only have heavy whipping cream and grated parmesan. Will this still work?
Yes, should work fine!
This was perfect recipe and directions 😀 will be a regular for my family thank you
This looked like a bland, but easy recipe to try. I was so surprised to find that it’s anything but bland! I made as directed, less the garlic, and we all just loved it. I’ll be adding this to our regular rotation. Thank you!
Hi what is the saving size. 1 cup 1 half cup?
About 1 cup
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! This is fabulous!! I made this tonight for supper and had cornbread biscuits with it and my husband LOVED it! This recipe is definitely a keeper!!