Description
This Creamy Smothered Chicken with Rice recipe offers a comforting and flavorful meal featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a rich, creamy sauce with herbs and mushrooms, served over fluffy white rice. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner and easy to prepare with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream or cream cheese
For the Rice:
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
For Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and oregano to enhance the flavor of the chicken.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Cook the Onions and Garlic: In the same skillet, add chopped onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and sliced mushrooms, cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in chicken broth, scraping the skillet bottom to loosen browned bits. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in heavy cream and sour cream or cream cheese until smooth. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens.
- Simmer the Chicken: Return chicken breasts to skillet, spoon sauce over them, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Cook the Rice: Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a pot, bring water or chicken broth to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15-18 minutes until tender.
- Serve: Fluff rice with a fork and plate it. Top with the creamy smothered chicken and sauce, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Optional mushrooms add extra earthiness but can be omitted for a simpler sauce.
- Use chicken broth instead of water for cooking rice to enhance flavor.
- Adjust seasoning as desired, especially salt and pepper to taste.
- Make sure chicken is cooked through by checking internal temperature – it should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove or microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Searing, Simmering, Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with approximately 1/4 cup cooked rice
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: creamy chicken recipe, smothered chicken, chicken with rice, comforting dinner, easy chicken dinner
