Creamy Tuscan Chicken Rice Skillet (Printer View)

A comforting one-pan meal featuring tender chicken, creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and fluffy rice.

# Components:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Rice & Grains

02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
07 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Liquids

10 - 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Fats & Oils

11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 - Salt and black pepper to taste
16 - Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden on all sides, approximately 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes if using, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
04 - Stir in the rice, coating it thoroughly with the oil and aromatic mixture.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Once the rice is nearly tender and most liquid is absorbed, stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Return seared chicken to the pan.
07 - Simmer gently, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes until sauce thickens, rice is tender, and chicken is heated through.
08 - Fold in chopped spinach and cook until just wilted, approximately 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying your food.
  • The creamy Parmesan sauce coats every grain of rice so luxuriously you'd swear you were eating something from a fancy restaurant.
  • It's flexible enough to use whatever vegetables you have on hand but structured enough that it always turns out beautifully.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of letting the chicken sear properly before stirring it, because that golden crust is where all the flavor lives and rushing it means losing that richness to a pale, boiled texture.
  • If your rice starts looking too dry before it's tender, add a splash more broth rather than cranking up the heat, because high heat will burn the bottom while leaving the top undercooked.
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy when you add the cream, it means the temperature spiked too high, so simply lower the heat and whisk in a splash of cold broth to bring it back together smoothly.
  • Make this dish a few hours ahead up to the point of adding the cream, then finish it gently on low heat right before serving so the flavors meld and the rice absorbs the broth evenly.
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