There’s nothing better than a warm, creamy, one‑pan dinner on a busy homestead night. This One Pan Creamy Chicken and Rice is the kind of meal that checks every box: simple ingredients, minimal dishes, and big comfort. It’s rich, cozy, and perfectly seasoned — the kind of recipe that tastes like you spent all day cooking, even though it comes together in about 30 minutes.
This dish has become a staple in our home because it’s:
- budget‑friendly
- kid‑approved
- pantry‑friendly
- made in one pan
- creamy, comforting, and filling
Before we get started, two quick notes from my kitchen:
- Rinse your rice. It removes excess starch so the final dish is creamy, not gluey.
- Use garlic to your heart’s desire. Around here, that usually means more than the recipe calls for.
Let’s get cooking.
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🍲 One Pan Creamy Chicken and Rice (Easy Homestead‑Style Dinner)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This One Pan Creamy Chicken and Rice is cozy, creamy, and packed with simple homestead flavor. Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a rich sauce all come together in one easy skillet.
Ingredients
• 2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onions (frozen from the summer garden works great)
• 3–5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup white jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth (home‑canned if you have it)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add the cubed chicken and cook in batches until the edges are browned. Remove from the pan.
3. Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pan.
4. Add the butter and onions. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
5. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the broth, rinsed rice, seasonings, and return the chicken to the pan. Stir to combine.
7. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.
8. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan until creamy and melted.
9. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
• Rinse the rice to keep the dish creamy, not sticky.
• Brown the chicken just enough for color — it finishes cooking with the rice.
• Frozen onions work great and melt right into the dish.
• Use as much garlic as your heart tells you to.
• Stir occasionally while simmering to keep the rice from sticking.
• Add a splash of broth when reheating to bring the creaminess back.
• Parmesan melts best when added off the heat.
• Fresh parsley adds a bright finish if you have it
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
🍗 Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
- 4 TBSP butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onions (I use frozen from our summer garden)
- 3–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup white jasmine rice, rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth (I use home‑canned)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
🔪 Instructions
- Heat the pan.
In a large pan, drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium. - Brown the chicken.
Once the pan is hot, add the cubed chicken. Cook in batches for a few minutes until the exterior is browned. Remove from the pan.
The chicken does not need to be fully cooked yet — it will finish cooking with the rice. - Deglaze + sauté.
Add a splash of broth to the hot pan to deglaze the browned bits on the bottom.
Add the butter and diced onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. - Add rice + seasonings.
Pour in the broth, rinsed rice, and all seasonings. Return the browned chicken to the pan. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. - Simmer.
Once boiling, cover the pan and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. - Finish with cream + cheese.
Add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Stir until everything is creamy and the cheese has melted in. - Serve.
Remove from heat, top with fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.
🧰 Tools I Used
- Medium sized pot with a lid — I used my 6qt stock pot with lid for this recipe.
- Wooden spoon — Perfect for stirring without scratching your pan.
- Fine mesh strainer — Essential for rinsing the rice thoroughly.
- Sharp knife + cutting board — For prepping the chicken and onions.
Simple tools, but they’re the backbone of so many weeknight meals.
🥣 How to Serve Creamy Chicken and Rice
This dish is hearty enough to stand alone, but here are a few ways to round out the meal:
- A crisp side salad
- Roasted veggies like broccoli, carrots, or green beans
- Homemade dinner rolls or biscuits for soaking up the sauce
- A squeeze of fresh lemon for brightness
It’s cozy, comforting, and perfect for busy nights.
🔄 Variations
- Add veggies: Peas, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, or broccoli.
- Use chicken thighs: They stay juicy and add extra flavor.
- Add more herbs: Thyme, parsley, or rosemary.
- Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño.
🔁 Substitutions
- Rice: Jasmine rice works best. Long-grain white or basmati also work. Avoid instant rice.
- Chicken: Swap for turkey, leftover rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken.
- Broth: Use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Creaminess: Heavy cream, half‑and‑half, or whole milk (just simmer gently).
- Garlic: Fresh, jarred, roasted — use what you love.
🏡 Homestead Notes
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is how many ingredients come straight from our homestead. We raise and butcher our own meat birds, and there’s something deeply grounding about cooking with chicken you raised yourself — knowing how it lived, what it ate, and that nothing went to waste.
We also grow a big onion crop every summer. When the harvest comes in, I dice and freeze onions in 1‑cup portions, which makes weeknight cooking incredibly convenient. Those little bags of garden onions go straight from the freezer into the skillet and carry us through the entire year.
And a quick note about canning:
I use a lot of home‑canned broth and pantry staples in my cooking, but I do not share canning recipes on my blog. Safe canning requires following properly tested, research‑based recipes, and it’s important not to alter those formulas. I always encourage readers to use trusted, tested sources for canning instructions — and here, I simply show how I use my home‑canned ingredients in everyday meals.
❄️ How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Add a splash of broth or milk and warm on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freezer: You can freeze it, but rice changes texture. If freezing, cool completely and store up to 2 months.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use brown rice?
You can, but it takes much longer to cook and needs extra liquid. For best results, stick with long‑grain white rice.
Can I make this dairy‑free?
Yes — use coconut milk or a dairy‑free cream alternative.
Can I use pre‑cooked chicken?
Absolutely. Add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking so it doesn’t dry out.
Why rinse the rice?
Rinsing removes excess starch, helping the rice cook evenly and preventing gumminess.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes — use a larger pan or Dutch oven and increase cooking time slightly.
🔗 More Cozy Recipes From My Kitchen
Looking for more homestead‑style comfort food? Explore these categories:
- Dinner Recipes — hearty, simple meals for busy nights
- Snacks + Desserts — sweet treats and homemade favorites
Tell Me How It Turned Out
If you make this One Pan Creamy Chicken and Rice, I’d love for you to come back and leave a star rating and comment. Your feedback helps other readers discover the recipe and supports the work I share here. And don’t forget to save it to Pinterest so you can find it again later.
