If I had to choose one meal that tastes like pure, unadulterated comfort, it would be this One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice. It’s a complete meal in a single pot—tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a few veggies all cooked together in a savory, wonderfully creamy sauce. It’s the kind of food that just makes you feel good from the inside out.
It’s my absolute go-to for those slightly cooler evenings when I want something hearty and satisfying without a mountain of dishes to deal with afterward. There’s something so reassuring about having a pot of this simmering away on the stove, filling the whole house with a delicious aroma.
If you’re in the mood for a cozy classic that the whole family will adore, you are going to fall head over heels for this recipe. You can try my Cowboy Butter Chicken Recipe to.
What Does This Creamy Chicken and Rice Taste Like?
This dish is the perfect marriage of textures and flavors. The rice is incredibly tender and fluffy, but it soaks up all the savory chicken broth as it cooks, making every single grain burst with flavor. The chicken is juicy and delicious, and the sauce that forms is savory and creamy without being overly heavy or rich.
The flavor is classic and so comforting—savory from the chicken and broth, with a gentle sweetness from the carrots and peas, and a lovely aromatic background from the thyme and garlic. The little bit of Parmesan cheese stirred in at the end adds the perfect salty, umami kick that ties everything together. It reminds me of a hug in a bowl, like a classic chicken soup and a creamy risotto had a delicious, easy-to-make baby.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this one-pot wonder.
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice (like Jasmine or Basmati)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Kitchen Utensils You’ll Need
- A large pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid
- A wooden spoon
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes
Recipe for One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice
Follow these simple steps for the coziest meal-in-a-pot.
1. Cook the Chicken Season the bite-sized chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and butter in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it’s nicely browned on all sides. You don’t need to cook it all the way through at this point. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
2. Sauté the Veggies and Toast the Rice Add the diced onion and carrots to the same pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the uncooked rice to the pot and stir constantly for about 1 minute. This little step toasts the rice and gives it a wonderful nutty flavor!
3. Simmer Everything Together Pour in the chicken broth, then add the dried thyme and the bay leaf. Use your spoon to scrape up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the browned chicken (and any juices from the plate) back to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. The Creamy Finish After 15-20 minutes, the rice should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat. Take out the bay leaf and discard it. Pour in the heavy cream and the grated Parmesan cheese, and add the frozen peas. Stir gently to combine everything. The residual heat will warm the cream and cook the peas perfectly.
5. Rest and Serve Put the lid back on the pot and let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes. This is a crucial step! It allows the sauce to thicken up and for all the flavors to meld together. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Ways to Customize Your Chicken and Rice
This recipe is a fantastic starting point. Here are a few ways I like to change it up:
- Add Mushrooms: For an earthier flavor, sauté 8oz of sliced cremini mushrooms after you sear the chicken and before you add the onions.
- Stir in Spinach: Instead of peas, you can stir in a few big handfuls of fresh spinach at the end until it wilts.
- Make it Cheesy-Broccoli: Add some steamed broccoli florets and a cup of shredded cheddar cheese at the end for a completely different (but equally delicious) vibe.
- Give it a Lemon-Herb Twist: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice stirred in at the very end can brighten up all the flavors beautifully.
My Personal Tips for the Best Creamy Rice
- Use Chicken Thighs: I really recommend chicken thighs for this recipe. They stay much more tender and juicy than chicken breasts during the simmering time.
- Don’t Skip Toasting the Rice: This simple one-minute step makes a huge difference. It adds a lovely nutty depth of flavor and helps keep the rice grains from getting mushy.
- Resist the Urge to Stir! Once the pot is covered and simmering, leave it alone! Lifting the lid lets the steam escape, and stirring too much can make the rice starchy and gummy.
- Let it Rest: That final 5-minute rest off the heat is so important. It gives the rice a chance to absorb the last bit of liquid and lets the creamy sauce set up perfectly.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the rice will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits, so it will be thicker the next day. To reheat, I recommend adding it to a pot on the stove over low heat with a good splash of chicken broth or milk to loosen it up and make it creamy again.

One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice like Jasmine or Basmati
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken Season the bite-sized chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and butter in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's nicely browned on all sides. You don't need to cook it all the way through at this point. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
- Sauté the Veggies and Toast the Rice Add the diced onion and carrots to the same pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the uncooked rice to the pot and stir constantly for about 1 minute. This little step toasts the rice and gives it a wonderful nutty flavor!
- Simmer Everything Together Pour in the chicken broth, then add the dried thyme and the bay leaf. Use your spoon to scrape up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the browned chicken (and any juices from the plate) back to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- The Creamy Finish After 15-20 minutes, the rice should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat. Take out the bay leaf and discard it. Pour in the heavy cream and the grated Parmesan cheese, and add the frozen peas. Stir gently to combine everything. The residual heat will warm the cream and cook the peas perfectly.
- Rest and Serve Put the lid back on the pot and let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes. This is a crucial step! It allows the sauce to thicken up and for all the flavors to meld together. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Common Queries on This Chicken and Rice Recipe
1. Can I use brown rice? You can, but you’ll need to adjust the recipe. Brown rice takes much longer to cook (about 40-45 minutes) and will likely require an extra cup of chicken broth.
2. Can I make this dairy-free? Yes! You can substitute the heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk for a delicious, creamy alternative. For the cheese, you can use a dairy-free Parmesan substitute or a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Just skip the butter or use a dairy-free version.
3. My rice is still crunchy! What happened? This usually means it needed a little more liquid or a little more time. It can also happen if your heat was too high and the liquid evaporated too quickly, or if the lid on your pot wasn’t tight enough. You can add another ½ cup of hot broth and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
This is truly one of the coziest, most satisfying meals you can make. I hope it becomes a favorite in your home for those nights when you just need a little comfort in a bowl. Let me know what you think in the comments if you give it a try!