Description
This creamy chicken and rice skillet is a comforting, one-pan meal combining tender chicken, flavorful rice, and mixed vegetables in a rich and cheesy sauce. Cooked entirely on the stovetop before finishing under the broiler for a golden cheese topping, it’s an easy, satisfying dish perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion
- 1/2 lb. frozen peas and carrots
Proteins & Dairy
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2/3 lb.)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz. cheddar, shredded
Pantry
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried sage
- 1/4 tsp salt
- freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks from pepper mill)
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: Dice the onion and add it to an oven-safe deep skillet (3 quart capacity) with the butter. Sauté over medium heat until the onions become soft and translucent, which will build a flavorful base for the dish.
- Cook Chicken: Dice the chicken breast into small 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the skillet with the onions and sauté for about 3 minutes, cooking just until the outside turns opaque. The chicken will finish cooking later while simmering with the rice.
- Add Rice and Seasoning: Stir in the rice, dried thyme, dried sage, salt, freshly cracked pepper, and chicken broth. Mix everything well to combine the flavors evenly.
- Simmer the Rice: Cover the skillet with a lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the broth to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping the lid replaced between stirs. This ensures the rice cooks tender and the dish develops a saucy consistency.
- Add Vegetables and Cream: Check the rice tenderness after 15 minutes; if still firm, cook for 5 more minutes. Then stir in the frozen peas and carrots (no need to thaw), cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes to warm the vegetables through. Finally, stir in the heavy cream, taste, and adjust salt as needed based on your broth’s saltiness.
- Broil with Cheese: Preheat your oven’s broiler. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the skillet and place it under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles with a golden finish. Serve hot straight from the skillet for a delightful, hearty meal.
Notes
- Use an oven-safe deep skillet with a lid for the best results and easy finishing under the broiler.
- Allowing the rice to simmer in an excess of broth with occasional stirring creates a creamy, saucy texture.
- No need to thaw frozen vegetables; adding them frozen saves time and retains texture.
- Adjust salt after adding cream as broth saltiness varies.
- If the rice isn’t fully tender at 15 minutes, let it simmer longer in 5-minute increments until done.