20-Minute One Pan Creamy Garlic Chicken and Rice
Throw together a comforting, restaurant-quality meal in just twenty minutes with this easy one-pan creamy garlic chicken and rice! Made entirely in a single skillet for effortless cleanup, it features golden-seared chicken bites nestled in a bed of fluffy, velvety long-grain white rice that completely absorbs the savory garlic butter broth.It's a high-protein, family-friendly weeknight dinner savior engineered with simple pantry swaps to fit seamlessly into your busy schedule.
Equipment
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 Large wok or skillet
- Measuring cup and spoons
- Large pot spoon or cooking spoon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 cup Long-grain white rice uncooked
- 1 tablespoon Avocado oil (or olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 4 cloves Fresh garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups Low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup Milk plain plant milk or dairy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 cup Fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Pat your chicken breast cubes completely dry with a paper towel and toss them in a small bowl with the garlic powder, onion powder, fine table salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil (or your preferred cooking oil) and one tablespoon of unsalted butter.
- Once the butter is sizzling, add the seasoned chicken cubes in a single layer and sear undisturbed for two to three minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom.
- Toss the chicken bites and cook for one more minute before transferring them onto a clean plate, noting that the chicken does not need to be fully cooked through yet.
- Turn the skillet heat down to medium and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the empty pan, swirling it through the leftover chicken juices.
- Stir in the minced garlic continuously for thirty seconds until highly fragrant.
- Add the uncooked white rice directly to the pan, stirring it constantly for one full minute to lightly toast the grains in the garlic butter.
- Pour the chicken broth and milk straight into the skillet with the toasted rice.
- Bring the liquid to a rapid boil, then immediately turn the heat down to low.
- Return the seared chicken and any resting juices back into the pan, stirring gently to combine.
- Pop a tight-fitting lid on the skillet and let it simmer undisturbed on low heat for twelve to thirteen minutes until the rice is completely tender and the broth is absorbed.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, lift the lid, scatter your fresh baby spinach on top, and gently fluff the rice with a fork for thirty seconds until the spinach wilts into the creamy rice before serving warm.
Notes
The Pan-Toasting Trick: Stirring your dry, uncooked white rice directly in the hot garlic butter for one full minute lightly toasts the outer starch layer. This quick step creates a protective barrier around each grain, ensuring the rice absorbs the rich broth beautifully without breaking down into a mushy or sticky texture while it simmers under the lid.
The Multi-Purpose Flash Sear: Remember that the initial flash sear is just to build color and deep caramelized flavor on the chicken crust! The chicken will finish steaming to juicy, tender perfection later on top of the rice, while its pan drippings dissolve right back into the broth to infuse every grain with savory flavor.
Storage and Reheating: Store any leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. To reheat, simply place your portion in a small skillet over medium-low heat with a tiny bit of extra chicken broth or milk, stirring gently until the rice is completely creamy and heated through.