One-Pot Creamy Garlic Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup long grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons heavy cream
( I used brown rice and made it first in my pressure cooker. I used chicken broth)
Steps
1)
Toss the chicken breast with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breast and cook until browned, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add garlic to skillet and cook for 30 seconds more.
Pieces of chicken browning in skillet
2)
Stir in rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pieces of chicken, broth and rice cooking in skillet
3)
Remove pan from heat and place baby spinach on top of the rice. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
Cooked chicken and rice in skillet
4)
Remove lid and stir well. Stir in cream and serve.
Cooked chicken, rice and baby spinach cooked in skillet
Expert Tips
Be mindful to add the garlic just before combining the chicken broth and rice in the hot skillet. Garlic only takes about 30 seconds to cook, and if it’s allowed to cook too long, it may burn and create a bitter tasting garlic chicken and rice dish.
For this particular creamy garlic chicken and rice recipe, be sure to use long-grain rice. If you use Minute Rice, the rice will cook too quickly and may become mushy.
If you prefer, remove any long stems from the spinach before stirring into the chicken mixture.
To lighten up this one-pot dinner, substitute the cream for regular milk.
Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese just before serving, if desired.
If you end up with leftovers of this garlic chicken and rice dinner, store in the refrigerator, tightly sealed. When reheating, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of broth, milk or cream to bring back the creaminess.
A very good meal and simple to make!
