Marry Me Chicken and Rice
Creamy, flavorful and cheesy, this Marry Me Chicken is an easy one-pan dinner that’s hearty with tender rice, juicy chicken and seasonings!
A FUN TWIST ON MARRY ME CHICKEN
Marry Me Chicken and Rice is a fantastic one pan meal that is inspired by all the Marry Me Chicken recipes! My Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken is one of the most popular recipes here on the site and so I’ve been having fun making some variations using the same flavors (like Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi and Marry Me Chicken Pasta.) This chicken and rice skillet is meant to be a whole meal. It’s simple to make and I love that I don’t dirty up the whole kitchen just to make dinner (I know y’all understand that!) It’s cheesy, full of flavor and not too overwhelming that the kids won’t eat it too.
Made this for dinner last night – it was so good! I wouldn’t change a thing – good just as it is written!
– Paula
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
If you want to add more seasoning, a touch of smoked paprika or a squeeze of lemon juice can bring extra depth to the flavors.
You can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save time; simply stir it in during the final few minutes of cooking. Additionally, you can use leftover chicken thighs or cook some fresh chicken thighs instead.
You can not go wrong by making a side of steamable vegetables. Grab one of those frozen bags that you toss in the microwave and you’ll have a simple side dish in no time. I also like serving this with a big green salad and some Garlic Bread.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water or chicken stock to loosen the rice if needed.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts – you could use thighs or tenderloins as well.
- salt and pepper
- garlic – I like fresh minced garlic for this, but you can use the jarred garlic if in a pinch. You’ll get the most flavor from freshly minced garlic though.
- sun-dried tomatoes– Sun dried tomatoes really is what sets this dish apart. It’s one of the key ingredients to Marry Me Chicken. Funny enough, my husband doesn’t like tomatoes but he enjoys this. I cut them up pretty small and he loves it! But of course, you can leave them out.
- long-grain white rice– You could substitute brown rice for white rice, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time and liquid accordingly as brown rice takes longer to cook. I think instant rice could be used (like Minute Rice) but it wouldn’t need as much liquid – only 1 ½ cups. Instant rice is a 1:1 ratio with liquid.
- chicken stock or broth– you can use low sodium broth or stock or no sodium options too. If you have some Homemade Chicken Broth, feel free to use that too.
- heavy cream– It needs to be heavy cream or at a minimum, half and half. Regular milk is just too thin here.
- Italian seasoning
- red pepper flakes– this can be an optional ingredient that can be used if you want to bring a little heat to this classic dish. Feel free to leave it out.
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil– chopped and used as garnish. It can be an optional ingredient if needed.
HOW TO MAKE MARRY ME CHICKEN AND RICE:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chicken, season with half the salt and pepper, and cook until the pieces are browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
Lower the heat slightly and add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Stir for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the rice to the skillet and stir for 1-2 minutes to toast it and coat it in the oil.
Pour in the chicken stock, then stir in the heavy cream, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), and the remaining salt and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the top and cover the skillet again. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.
Remove from heat and garnish with fresh basil. Serve warm and enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Marry Me Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 2 teaspoons salt (divided use)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided use)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth (can use low or no sodium)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped fresh basil (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the pieces are lightly browned and no longer pink in the middle, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Lower the heat slightly and add 4 garlic cloves, minced and 3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Stir for about 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice and stir for 1-2 minutes to toast it and coat it in the oil.
- Pour in 3 cups chicken stock or broth, then stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using), and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and stir to combine. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top and cover the skillet again. Cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.
- Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh basil. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Could I make this and then put it in the crockpot on warm for 4hours?
love this dish!! it’s so delicious. I’ve made it 3 times already
I liked this recipe very much, very simple and quick to put together. i definitely recommend this when you want something delicious and easy, I used frozen diced chicken so I made it right away after getting home.
Made this for dinner last night – it was so good! I wouldn’t change a thing – good just as it is written!
Howdy !
I’m anxious to ty this recipe.
My question:
There seems to be a lot of liquid (4-cups total)
for 1-½ cups long-grain white rice.
(3-cups stock plus 1-cup heavy cream.
Please confirm.
It’s all correct 🙂
Okay Brandie.
I’ll give it a whirl.
Thanks !
Doug
hello, I do change to amount of rice. I usually put in 2 1/4 cups and I used jasmine rice. it comes out great!!
Made this for dinner tonight – it turned out great for me and was so flavorful! Thank you!