Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Rice
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You’ll love having this Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Rice on regular dinner rotation.
This post has been sponsored by USA Rice. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Kroll’s Korner running!
It’s simple to make but big on flavor, a great year-round meal and even a wonderful meal to make for guests.
Loaded with garlic, cream, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and all the seasonings. It’s an absolutely delicious chicken dinner that will be sure to impress.
September is National Rice Month, a special month to celebrate the U.S. rice industry, including farmers, producers and manufactures.
This year marks the 32nd Anniversary of National Rice Month!
This mouth watering meal features plenty of U.S.-grown long grain white rice and it’s an all in one dinner!
Reasons to Love This Meal:
- Great for meal prep.
- It’s made in one skillet. (woo!)
- Made with everyday ingredients
- It’s crazy flavorful
- The long-grain rice cooks perfectly with all the other ingredients
Ingredients
- U.S.-grown long grain white rice: Long grain white rice has a firm, fluffy texture due to its higher amylose content. It works exceptionally well in pilafs, stir-fries, and soups, and accounts for more than 70% of the rice grown in the United States. U.S.-grown rice is nutrient-rich and contributes more than 15 vitamins and minerals, including folic acid and other B-vitamins, as well as iron and zinc. Plus, rice is gluten-free and the least allergenic of all grains!
- Chicken thighs: I love using boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are juicy and cook quickly. I haven’t tested this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breasts but if you do, I would recommend cutting any thick chicken breasts in half.
- Seasonings: To season the chicken, I’m using Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I like to use the oil packed sun dried tomatoes but be sure to drain the oil. (I even sometimes pat excess oil off with paper towels if there’s too much).
- Spinach: I use fresh spinach, and gently tear it when adding it into the skillet or you can chop it. I have not tested this recipe with frozen spinach.
- Parmesan cheese and heavy cream: help to make this chicken dinner nice and creamy
- Lemon juice: the acidity adds a delicious brightness. I like to add some in the meal and also squeeze a little more on top when serving.
- Other ingredients needed: garlic, olive oil, chicken broth, onion, butter, parsley for garnish
Step by Step Directions
Simple, healthy and delicious is all I gotta say about this one! I hope you love how easy it is to make:
- Rub the chicken thighs with olive oil and rub the seasonings all over.
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet and once hot, brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
- Add the butter and melt. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Then add in the cream, Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the pan.
- Cover with foil and bake for ~30-35 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley, more Parmesan cheese and squeeze more lemon juice over the top.
Tips and Variations
- Be sure to use a large cast iron skillet (at least 10-12-inches) or a heavy or thick bottomed saute pan. A Dutch oven would work well too!
- Try coconut cream instead of heavy cream if you’d want it a little lighter.
- Use halved cherry tomatoes instead of sun dried tomatoes if preferred.
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you’d like, just make sure to slice and large chicken breasts in half so they cook easily.
- Add in a touch of Dijon when adding in the heavy cream and other ingredients to add even more flavor.
- Chop up the sun dried tomatoes so they evenly distribute and you’re not left with big strands or chunks or tomatoes in each bite. Unless that’s your thing and you like that!
FAQ
How long do leftovers last?
Up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How do I reheat leftovers?
On the stove in a pan or in the microwave both are perfectly fine methods!
Can I use a different rice?
I have not tested this recipe with any other rice. I love it with the U.S. grown long-grain white rice as shown in the photos!
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 lb. chicken thighs (~4-5 boneless, skinless)
- 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup U.S.-grown long grain white rice, dry
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped, oil drained
- 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly torn or chopped
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus more for serving
- fresh parsley, for garnish
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Rub the chicken thighs with olive oil and rub the seasonings all over.
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet and once hot, brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
- Add the butter and melt. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir for ~30 seconds.
- Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Then add in the cream, Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the pan.
- Cover with foil and bake for ~30-35 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and rice is cooked.
- Garnish with parsley, more Parmesan cheese and squeeze of lemon juice over the top.
Video
Notes
- Storage: keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I got this recipe from a friend who made it for me and have made it 4 times since! It’s really become a staple in my rotation. I always experiment by adding or swapping based on what’s in my fridge. I’ve added chopped mushrooms, broccolini, swapped the thighs for breasts plus a bit more olive oil, spinach for arugula. Every time, it comes out spectacular. I think if you stick to the procedure and base recipe, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Amazing!! I love all of the variations and additions you can add to this one too. Thank you!! 🙂
I made this for dinner last night and it was a hit! So many wonderful flavors. I love cast iron skillet meals.
yay I am so glad! Thank you!
So good! This recipe found me through Instagram reels and I’m so glad! I made it to take to a new mom and doubled the recipe to serve to guests the night I made it, so we could all try it. I’ve already been asked (by everyone who ate it) to share the recipe. This one is a hit and now I can’t wait to make it for myself. I’ll also definitely start following so I don’t miss out on all the other great recipes.
Krista! You are so sweet. I am glad the new mama and everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for following along and making it!! xo, Tawnie
Made it for the family and it got rave reviews! Very, very good!
I am so glad!! Thank you 🙂
I love one dish meals! Made this tonight, used chicken breast because that’s what I had. The family loved it. My 5 and 2 yr olds asked for seconds! For myself and the hubbs I served with feta cheese and red pepper flakes. So good, I will definitely put this in my dinner rotation!
I love when the ENTIRE family can enjoy a meal so we don’t have to cook other things! yay, so glad! thank you!! xo, Tawnie
Super easy to make and was so delicious! We will definitely be making again.
yayyy I am so glad. Thank you Kaley! 🙂 xo, Tawnie
I am going to make this recipe tomorrow for a dinner party of 12. Will doubling the recipe be adequate and can I prepare ahead and bake before serving?
Hello! This recipe calls for 4-5 chicken thighs, so it just depends on how much you think people are going to eat. I listed it as this serves 4 people. 🙂 I haven’t made it in advance so I cannot advise. I am not sure how the broth with the uncooked rice would hold up prior to baking.
My husband and I loved this recipe! Only had half & half on hand, so I used that instead of the heavy cream and it was perfect! Came together so quickly as well. I will definitely be including this in my fall/winter recipe rotation!
Aw thank you so much Paige, so glad you both enjoyed it. yay! xo, Tawnie
I made this last night and it was amazing! Definitely adding it to our monthly meal rotation. Once the skillet was out of the oven, I removed the chicken thighs, chopped them, then added them back into the dish. This made it easier for serving to our younger kids.
One note: The written instructions don’t mention when to add the garlic.
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for making and I am glad it was a hit! Ooof I am so sorry, thank you for the heads up! My mistake. I add it after the onion. If there is ever a typo you can always reference the video in the recipe card as well. 🙂 Thank you again!! xo
Trust me, you are going to want to double this recipe. So simple, but so delicious. Biggest plus is that it’s only one pot so there is limited clean up!
You are so sweet, thank you so much Patricia!! xo, Tawnie