Cheesy One Pot Chicken and Rice (with Spinach)

Healthy comfort food is here! Make this kid-friendly one-pot chicken and rice dinner for a deliciously creamy and balanced meal full of whole grains, protein, and veggies.

“It’s a definite yes.”
“It’s like a party in my mouth!”

These are actual quotes from my kids during dinner when I served this cheesy chicken and rice. And I have to agree!

This comforting one-pot meal has everything we look for in a dinner recipe. It’s easy to make, super yummy, and it has a balance of veggies, protein, whole grains, and fat.

How to Make Cheesy One Pot Chicken and Rice

To start, get yourself a 12-inch deep-sided oven-safe skillet with a lid. (A pot like the one pictured will work, but I’ve found you’ll get better toasty breadcrumbs with a skillet. Just choose a deep-sided skillet so you have room for the whole meal!)

Cube two chicken breasts and cook them in the skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Turn them every couple of minutes so they brown nicely on all sides.

Then, add the onion and saute a few minute more, until they start to turn golden. Toss the garlic in for 30 seconds.

Next you’ll add the broth, rice, and dried herbs. Cover the skillet and let it simmer to get the rice cooking.

While the rice is simmering, grate your cheese and roughly chop the spinach leaves. (I like to chop the leaves even when I buy baby leaf spinach. It helps my picky eaters get on board with the green stuff in their dinner!)

When the rice is just cooked, stir in the baby spinach, cheddar, and sour cream. Spread the one pot chicken and rice mixture flat in your skillet, and sprinkle some bread crumbs on top.

Pop the whole skillet under the broiler for a few minutes so you get a toasty, crunchy topping. Then serve!

What to Serve with One Pot Chicken and Rice

Since this dinner is filling and rich, we like to serve it with a crisp green salad and/or fresh fruit on the side.

Tips for Storing and Serving Leftovers

This dish keeps well in the fridge or freezer! If you’d like to keep the crispy topping, reheat in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.

More Tasty One Pot Meals

One Pot Lentils and Rice
Tangy One Pot Chicken and Veggie Pasta Dinner
One Pot Mexican Quinoa

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

3.8 from 15 votes

One Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice (with Spinach)

Healthy comfort food is here! Make this kid-friendly one-pot chicken and rice dinner for a deliciously creamy and balanced meal full of whole grains, protein, and veggies.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time7 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 556kcal

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice raw
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach tightly packed
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs

Instructions

• Cube the chicken breasts. In a deep sided skillet, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and set it over medium-high heat. Cook the cubed chicken, turning occasionally, until starting to turn golden on all sides.
• Add the diced onion and saute 5 more minutes over medium-high.
• Add the minced garlic and saute 30 seconds.
• Add the brown rice, chicken broth, and dried herbs. Stir once, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is done, or nearly so.
• Roughly chop the baby spinach, and stir into the cooked chicken and rice mixture until just wilted.
• Stir in cheddar and sour cream, then use the back of your spoon to spread the mixture flat.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of the dish and broil 4-7 minutes until toasty brown on top. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 24g | Sodium: 930mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g

Keyword : chicken, gluten-free, one pot meal, rice

www.superhealthykids.com