Creamy Tuscan Chicken Rice Skillet (Printable Version)

Comforting one-pan meal with tender chicken, garlic-Parmesan sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and fluffy rice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Rice & Broth

06 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
07 - 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
11 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach

→ Sauce

12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
16 - Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add butter. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and rice. Cook for 1 minute to toast the rice.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Return cooked chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Simmer uncovered for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
07 - Add baby spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means fewer dishes and more time actually enjoying your meal.
  • The sauce is silky and rich without feeling heavy, striking that perfect balance between indulgent and honest.
  • It's flexible enough to adapt to what you have on hand, yet distinctive enough to feel special every single time.
02 -
  • If your rice isn't tender after 15 minutes, add a splash more broth and cover again for a few minutes—every stove runs different, so trust what you see over what the recipe says.
  • Don't add the cream until the rice is nearly done, or you risk it breaking or becoming grainy if the temperature drops too much.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil are non-negotiable here—the ones you rehydrate in water will make the sauce watery and dilute all that jammy flavor.
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks at the same pace—uneven pieces mean some dry spots and some undercooked spots, which defeats the purpose of making something tender and comforting.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and right before adding it; pre-grated cheese has cellulose to prevent clumping, which prevents it from melting into the sauce as smoothly.
Return