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One Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice

One pot creamy chicken and rice with fluffy, glossy long-grain rice cooked in chicken broth and cream until rich and tender. Golden seared chicken thighs rest on top, then everything simmers together for a weeknight-friendly creamy chicken rice 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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Seasonings
  • 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
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
Aromatics and oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
Rice and liquids
  • 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
Garnish
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 7-8 minutes until deeply golden, then flip and sear for 3 minutes; remove to a plate.
Toast aromatics and rice
  1. Cook the diced onion in the same pot for 3 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring, until lightly fragrant.
Simmer creamy sauce
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then stir in the Parmesan and dried thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook until rice is tender
  1. Nestle the chicken skin-side up into the rice, cover tightly, and cook over low heat for 22-25 minutes until the rice is cooked and the chicken reaches 165°F. Keep the lid on to maintain steam and prevent the rice from drying out.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the pot covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice gently. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

For best browning, pat the chicken thighs dry before seasoning and avoid moving them during the first sear. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the rice and cream can separate when thawed. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture will be slightly less glossy).