This Creamy Chicken and Rice recipe is easy to make in one pot with spinach, simple seasonings, and a Garlic Parmesan cream sauce. This dish is filled with gourmet flavor and is sure to impress!

Be sure to try my Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe next!

A dutch oven with Creamy Chicken and Rice with Spinach and a wooden spoon scooping it up.

Chicken and Rice

This Chicken and Rice recipe is super creamy and flavorful, it incorporates simple gourmet techniques that add a ton of flavor, but don’t require special cooking skills.

(Bonus: it’s all prepared in one pot on the stove top!)

It starts out by softening some onions and garlic in butter.

From there, we sauté seasoned chicken and deglaze the skillet with white wine before steaming the rice in chicken broth, which infuses it with a ton of flavor.

It’s then finished off a in a garlic parmesan cream sauce with fresh spinach. (Does it really get any better than that?!)

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Sauté the onions in butter over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Increase heat to medium-high and add the chicken and 2 tbsp. butter over medium-high. Toss to coat and sear on each side until golden. Deglaze with white wine and cook for 3-4 more minutes, until just a small amount of liquid remains.

Cooking onions and chicken in a Dutch oven.

Add the seasonings and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil. Add the rice and submerge it in to the liquid. Bring it back to a boil and cover tightly. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. 

A pot with chicken broth and rice before and after being cooked with half and half being added.

 

Set heat to low and add the half and half in small splashes, stirring to incorporate. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Stir in the spinach and give it 3 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve!

Adding Parmesan cheese and spinach to a pot of chicken and rice.

Liquid to Rice Ratio

  • The rule of thumb is to use twice as much liquid as you use rice. (i.e. 2 cups liquid for every 1 cup of uncooked rice.) We add an extra 1/2 cup in this recipe as it’s used as part of the cream sauce.
  • We also use chicken broth instead of water to infuse the rice with a lot of flavor.
  • 1 cup of uncooked rice will yield 3 cups of cooked rice.

The Trick to Extra Fluffy Rice

  • For extra fluffy rice, let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes after cooking. Not only will it be light and airy, but any rice stuck to the bottom of the pot will release naturally. Refrain from stirring as this will release starch and make it sticky.
  • Don’t lift the lid during cooking, this will cause steam to escape and the rice will be hard/undercooked. A glass lid is handy because you can see what’s going on in the pot without lifting the lid. Just make sure the lid fits tightly on the pot. Nonstick pans are also great for cooking rice.

Pro Tips

  • Wine: Dry white wines like Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are best in this recipe. A splash of chicken broth can be used instead if you don’t cook with wine, to help clean the skillet.
  • Brown rice may be used for this recipe but often requires a lot more simmering time (up to 45 minutes in some cases), as well as more liquid. Refer to package for guidance. 
  • Refrain from using minute rice with this method as it will likely be overcooked and mushy.
  • A combination of Parmesan and Asiago may be used for this recipe. Be sure to grate it freshly from a wedge to ensure it melts and tastes the best.
  • Check out these helpful articles on salvaging less-than-perfect rice and 6 most common rice cooking mistakes!
  • If you love creamy rice recipes like I do, be sure to try my Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze well.

A bowl of Creamy Chicken and Rice with Spinach and lemons on the side.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • Box Cheese Grater– Always grate the Parmesan from a wedge so that it melts and tastes the best.
  • 3.5 quart Dutch oven– This conducts heat well for cooking rice, and has a sturdy lid that will keep the steam inside the pot during cooking.
  • Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
  • Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
  • Chefs Knife– I have this one, it’s affordable but high quality.

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A wooden spoon scooping up Creamy Chicken and Rice from a pot.

Chicken and Rice (One Pot!)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
5 from 30 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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This creamy Chicken and Rice recipe is easy to make in one pot on the stove top with spinach, simple seasonings, and a Garlic Parmesan cream sauce. It's easy to add different kinds of vegetables and has the best garlic Parmesan cream sauce!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Chicken and Rice

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ lbs. chicken breast, diced
  • Salt/Pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine, see notes
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup uncooked white long grain rice
  • ½ cup half and half
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Rice Seasonings

  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Note: A 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid is highly recommended for this recipe.
  • Pat the cubed chicken completely dry and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  • Heat 2 tbsps. butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat. Soften for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Increase heat to medium-high and add the chicken and remaining butter. Toss to coat and let it sit, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes to get a golden sear on one side. Toss and let it sear for 3 more minutes.
  • Add the wine and let it reduce for 3 more minutes, until just a little liquid remains. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot with the wine, this will make the dish more flavorful.
  • Add the seasonings for the rice. Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Add the rice and submerge it into the liquid. Return to a boil and cover tightly.
  • Reduce to a gentle simmer (medium-low), and let the rice steam for 15 minutes. Check on it, if the liquid is gone and the rice is cooked, turn heat off. If not, simmer 5 more minutes, then taste-test for doneness.
  • Optional: You may choose to remove it from the heat and let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes. This makes the rice extra fluffy, and allows any rice stuck to the bottom of the pot to release naturally. Refrain from stirring as this will release starch and make it sticky.
  • Set the heat to low and add the half in half in small splashes, stirring it in gently. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate.
  • Add the spinach and stir to combine. Let the spinach wilt and the sauce thicken for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips
  • Wine: Dry white wines like Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are best in this recipe. A splash of chicken broth can be used instead if you don't cook with wine, to help clean the skillet.
  • Brown rice may be used for this recipe but often requires a lot more simmering time (up to 45 minutes in some cases), as well as more liquid. Refer to package for guidance. 
  • Refrain from using minute rice with this method as it will likely be overcooked and mushy.
  • A combination of Parmesan and Asiago may be used for this recipe. Be sure to grate it freshly from a wedge to ensure it melts and tastes the best.
  • Check out these helpful articles on salvaging less-than-perfect rice and 6 most common rice cooking mistakes.
  • If you love creamy rice recipes like I do, be sure to try my Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole!
Nutritional info below is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 156mg, Sodium: 1208mg, Potassium: 939mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2084IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 221mg, Iron: 2mg
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie