Creamy Smothered Chicken and Rice

Golden chicken

• 1½ lb (680 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
• 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, for searing

Creamy herb gravy

• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (40 g) finely diced yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• ¼ cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan, from a block
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Fluffy white rice

• 1½ cups (300 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
• 2¼ cups (540 ml) water
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter

1. Start the riceCombine the rinsed rice, water, salt and butter in a medium saucepan with a tight lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir once, cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered, without lifting the lid, until the chicken is done.Tiny steam holes on the surface and no water left at the bottom when you fluff it.⏱ 15 min timer, rice
2. Season and flour the chickenPat the chicken very dry. Toss it with the 3 tbsp flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper until every piece has a thin, even coating. Shake off any extra flour.The chunks look dry and lightly dusted, with no wet patches.
3. Sear until deep goldenHeat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches if the pan is crowded. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden with dark seared spots. Move it to a plate. It will not be cooked through yet.A crisp golden crust with dark seared spots, with the center still pale.⏱ 6 min timer, sear
4. Build the creamy herb gravyLower the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Cook the onion 2 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the 2 tbsp flour and stir 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth, then the cream, Italian seasoning, parsley and salt. Simmer gently 4 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the Parmesan and lemon juice off the heat.A pale ivory, herb-flecked gravy thick enough to coat a spoon, with no flour lumps.⏱ 4 min timer, simmer
5. Smother the chickenSlide the chicken and any plate juices back into the gravy, spooning the sauce over the tops but leaving the crust above it. Simmer gently, partly covered, 5 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reads 165°F (74°C), or 175°F (79°C) for thighs. Add a splash of broth if the gravy gets too thick.The chicken is cooked through and still golden on top, with the gravy glossy and pourable.⏱ 5 min timer, smother
6. Serve over the riceFluff the rice with a fork and mound it on plates or one wide platter. Arrange the chicken on top, pour the extra gravy over everything so it pools around the rice, and serve right away.Fluffy white rice, golden chicken pieces on top, and cream gravy pooling at the edges.

• Pat the chicken dry before flouring. Wet chicken turns the flour into paste instead of a golden crust.
• Shake off extra flour. A thin coating browns and also thickens the gravy a little. Too much turns gummy.
• Don’t crowd the pan. Crowded chicken steams and turns pale. Two batches give the crust you see in the photo.
• Keep the crust above the sauce. Spoon the gravy over the chicken but don’t submerge it, so the tops stay crisp-golden.
• Add the liquid slowly. Whisk the broth in a little at a time to keep the roux smooth, then add the cream.
• Stop boiling the gravy after the cream goes in. A gentle simmer keeps it silky. Add the Parmesan off the heat so it doesn’t turn grainy.
• Fix the thickness: a splash of broth loosens a thick gravy. If it is thin, simmer 1 to 2 minutes longer, since it also thickens as it stands.
• Rice: rinse it, don’t lift the lid, and fluff with a fork. Long-grain rice stays separate and fluffy, like the photo.
• Doneness: chicken is done at 165°F (74°C). Thighs stay juicier up to 175°F (79°C).
• Scaling: The servings buttons change the ingredient list. Step text keeps the original 4-serving amounts. For 8 servings, sear in more batches and use a Dutch oven for the gravy.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving. Contains dairy and wheat.

Easy swaps

Bone-in thighs: sear them whole and simmer in the gravy 20 to 25 minutes, until they reach 175°F (79°C).

Mushroom smothered: cook 8 oz (225 g) sliced mushrooms with the onion until browned. They aren’t in the photo.

Lighter: use half-and-half in place of the cream and keep the simmer very gentle so it doesn’t split.

Dairy-free: use olive oil in place of the butter, full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream, and skip the Parmesan.

Gluten-free: use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour or cornstarch (1 tbsp for the gravy and 2 tbsp for the dredge) and check the broth label.

Fresh herbs: use 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and ½ tsp fresh thyme in place of the dried herbs, added at the end.

Rice shortcut: use 4 cups (600 g) of leftover cooked rice, reheated with a splash of water.

Make ahead: flour the chicken up to 2 hours ahead, kept covered in the fridge. Make the gravy up to 2 days ahead and rewarm with a splash of broth.

Storage and reheating

Fridge: cool within 2 hours, then store the chicken, gravy and rice together or separately in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat: warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until creamy, to 165°F (74°C).

Freezer: freeze the chicken in the gravy, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and whisk to smooth the sauce.