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Garlic Butter Chicken with Parmesan Rice

Garlic butter chicken with Parmesan rice—golden seared thighs nestled into creamy, herbed rice that absorbs the pan drippings. The stovetop method makes the rice tender and saucy with Parmesan and heavy cream.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Butter Pan Sauce & Rice
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 6 garlic, minced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and sear until golden and cooked through to 165°F, 5-6 minutes per side, then remove.
Toast the garlic and rice
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet. Cook the minced garlic for 1 minute, then add the long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes.
Simmer the rice
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 18 minutes, until the rice is tender.
Make it creamy and finish with chicken
  1. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and dried thyme until the rice turns creamy and saucy.
  2. Return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling it into the Parmesan rice so the pan drippings soak into the top.
Garnish and serve
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

For extra flavor, scrape up any browned bits from the skillet when you add the chicken broth—those herbed drippings boost the creamy Parmesan rice. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the heavy cream can break. For a lower-fat option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture will be slightly less rich).