Tuscan Chicken with Rice

I made Tuscan chicken with rice last Tuesday and honestly it turned out better than I expected. The chicken stayed crispy on top but the rice underneath got all creamy and absorbed everything. I squeezed lemon over it at the end which I almost forgot but it made the whole thing less heavy.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The chicken skin actually stays crispy even after baking with the rice
• Rice cooks right in the same pan so it soaks up all that chicken fat and gets really good
• Sun-dried tomatoes add this tangy bite that cuts through the cream
• You only dirty one skillet for the whole thing
• Spinach wilts into the rice so you don’t have to make a separate vegetable
• Takes 45 minutes start to finish which is doable on a weeknight

The Story Behind This Recipe

I needed a chicken and rice recipe that wasn’t boring but also wasn’t going to make me stand at the stove forever. This Italian chicken dinner happened because I had sun-dried tomatoes in the fridge and spinach that needed to get used. I’d been browning chicken thighs wrong for years, moving them around too much. This time I just left them alone for the full 2 to 3 minutes and the skin got properly crispy. The rice part is basically risotto logic but lazier, you let the oven do the work instead of stirring. I noticed the rice on the edges of the pan gets slightly more done than the center, which isn’t bad, just something that happens.

What You Need

You need 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because the bone keeps everything juicy and the skin gets crispy if you don’t mess with it. Boneless won’t give you the same result, trust me on this. Olive oil goes on the chicken and in the pan for browning. Whatever seasonings you normally use on chicken work here, I did salt pepper and garlic powder but you could do Italian seasoning or whatever’s in your cabinet.

1 tablespoon butter goes in after the chicken comes out. Then 1 small onion diced, not huge chunks, and a pinch of salt to help it cook down. 2 cloves garlic minced, not pressed because pressed garlic burns faster in my experience.

1 cup rice, I used long grain white rice and it worked. Don’t use instant or the timing gets weird. 2 1/4 cups chicken broth is the exact amount that makes the rice come out right, not soupy. 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, the real stuff not the green can, make it creamy without being a full risotto situation. 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped, the kind packed in oil taste better but drain them first. 2 cups fresh spinach wilts down to nothing so don’t skimp. 1 tablespoon lemon juice goes in before baking, then you need more for finishing plus fresh parsley and extra Parmesan for the top.

How to Make Tuscan Chicken with Rice

Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit first so it’s ready when you need it. Pat those 4 chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels because wet skin won’t crisp up. Rub them all over with olive oil, then hit them with whatever seasonings you’re using.

Heat more olive oil in a heavy skillet until it really starts moving in the pan. Drop the chicken in skin side down and then leave it alone for the full 2 to 3 minutes. I know you want to peek but don’t, that’s how the skin releases and gets color. Flip them once and brown the other side, then take them out and set them somewhere.

Drop 1 tablespoon butter into that same skillet with all the chicken fat still in there. Once it foams up add your diced onion and a pinch of salt. Let it cook about 5 minutes until it gets soft and translucent, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. Toss in 2 cloves minced garlic and stir for just 30 seconds until you smell it, any longer and it burns.

Pour in 1 cup rice and stir it around so every grain gets coated with the butter and picks up flavor from the pan. Add 2 1/4 cups chicken broth and crank the heat up until you see a real rolling boil happening. The rice will start to dance around. Take it off the heat right then.

Now mix in 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 cups fresh spinach and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. The spinach looks like too much but it wilts immediately when it hits the hot rice. Stir everything together until the liquid looks creamy and slightly thickened. Nestle those browned chicken thighs right into the rice, skin side up so it stays exposed.

Cover the whole skillet tightly with foil. Slide it into your 350 degree oven and set a timer for 30 to 35 minutes. The chicken’s done when the internal temperature hits 165 F and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid but still looks a little loose. I noticed the rice directly under the chicken stays the creamiest while the edges firm up slightly, which actually gives you different textures in one pan.

Pull off the foil and let everything sit for a minute. Sprinkle chopped parsley and extra Parmesan over the top, then squeeze more lemon juice around the edges where the cream pooled.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I covered the skillet with foil but didn’t press it down tight around the edges so steam escaped during baking. The rice on one side of the pan ended up drier and slightly crunchy while the other side was perfect. Second time I made sure that foil seal was tight and the rice cooked evenly. Also I forgot to save some Parmesan for garnish and had to grate more at the end which was annoying when everything was ready to eat.

Tuscan Chicken with Rice

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

35 min

Total:

45 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Olive oil for rubbing and cooking
• Seasonings for chicken (your choice)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup rice
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish
• Additional lemon juice for finishing

Method

1. 1 Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to start the cooking process.
2. 2 Pat the chicken thighs dry, rub them generously with olive oil, then sprinkle the seasoning evenly over each piece.
3. 3 Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet until you hear it sizzle; brown the chicken skin side down for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges crisp and color develops, then flip and brown the other side. Remove chicken and set aside.
4. 4 Into the skillet, drop the butter; once foaming, toss in diced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions soften and sweat, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, stirring only 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
5. 5 Pour the rice into the skillet, stirring to coat grains with butter and aromatics. Add chicken broth and crank the heat until the mixture boils briskly. Take it off the heat just after rolling boil starts.
6. 6 Mix in the cream, grated Parmesan, diced sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and lemon juice, blending well so the rice gets a creamy texture. Place the browned chicken thighs gently into the rice, nestling them down.
7. 7 Cover the skillet tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. You’ll know the chicken is done when juices run clear and internal temperature hits 165 F; the rice will absorb the liquid and become tender but not mushy.
8. 8 Remove the foil and let the skillet rest briefly. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan across the top. Finish with a quick squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the creaminess.

Nutritional information

Calories

520

Protein

38g

Carbs

35g

Fat

28g

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Tips for the Best Tuscan Chicken with Rice

Don’t move the chicken around when it hits the pan. I’m serious about this one because every time I shifted the thighs even slightly, the skin tore and stuck to the skillet instead of crisping up clean.

Use a skillet that can handle the heat from your stovetop and then go straight into the oven. Cast iron works but it’s heavy, a regular oven-safe skillet with a metal handle does the job fine.

The rice absorbs liquid at different rates depending on where it sits in the pan. I noticed the grains touching the chicken stay softer because they get more moisture dripping down, while the rice near the edge firms up slightly and sometimes catches a crispy bit on the bottom which honestly tastes good.

Press that foil down around the rim of your skillet before baking. Loose foil lets steam escape and your rice dries out on one side, I learned this the annoying way.

Save your lemon juice squeeze for after baking, not just the tablespoon that goes in before. The cream gets heavy sitting in the oven and that fresh acid at the end wakes everything up.

Serving Ideas

This Italian chicken dinner doesn’t need much alongside it since the rice already has vegetables mixed in. A crusty piece of bread for wiping up the creamy sauce from the bottom of your bowl works better than a side dish.

I put out a simple arugula salad with just olive oil and lemon, nothing fancy. The peppery bite cuts through all that Parmesan and cream.

Leftover chicken and rice heats up better than you’d think if you add a splash of broth before microwaving. It dries out otherwise but the broth brings it back.

Variations

You can swap chicken breasts for thighs but you’ll need to adjust your timing down to about 25 minutes in the oven since breasts cook faster and dry out easier. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really can’t do dark meat.

Kale instead of spinach works if you chop it smaller than you think you should. Spinach wilts to nothing but kale stays more present in the rice, which some people prefer.

Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil have more flavor than the dry ones but if you only have dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first. The texture won’t be as soft but they’ll rehydrate enough.

White wine instead of some of the broth gives you a sharper taste, use about 1/4 cup wine and reduce the broth to 2 cups. Let the wine cook down for a minute before adding broth or it tastes too boozy.

FAQ

Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this chicken and rice recipe? You can but the texture changes completely. Boneless thighs cook faster so check them at 25 minutes, and you lose that crispy skin layer on top which is half the point of this dish.

What kind of rice works best for Tuscan chicken? Long grain white rice is what I tested and the timing in the recipe is based on that. Jasmine or basmati would probably work fine but don’t use instant rice or brown rice without changing the liquid amounts and baking time.

Do I have to use bone-in chicken thighs? The bone keeps the meat juicy during the full 30 to 35 minutes in the oven. Without it you’re more likely to end up with dry chicken, especially if you accidentally overbake by even 5 minutes.

Can I make this in a different pan if I don’t have an oven-safe skillet? You’d have to brown the chicken in a regular pan, then transfer everything to a baking dish which means more dishes to wash. The whole point is keeping it to one skillet so I’d just buy a cheap oven-safe one if you make this often.

How do I know when the chicken hits 165 F without a thermometer? Honestly you can’t be sure without one. The juices running clear is an okay indicator but a $10 instant read thermometer takes the guessing out of it and you won’t undercook chicken.

Why does my rice come out mushy? You probably didn’t take the skillet off the heat right when it hit a rolling boil. If you let it keep boiling after adding the rice, the grains start breaking down before they even go in the oven.

Can I prep this ahead and bake it later? I wouldn’t recommend it because the rice starts absorbing the liquid as soon as you mix everything together. You’d end up with gummy rice that won’t cook right in the oven.

What if I don’t have heavy cream? Half and half works but the sauce won’t be as thick. Milk is too thin and won’t give you that creamy texture, you’d need to add more Parmesan to compensate.

Do I need to rinse the rice first? I didn’t rinse mine and it turned out fine. Rinsing removes some starch which would make the sauce less creamy, so for this recipe I’d skip it.

Can I double this recipe? Only if you have a really big skillet that still fits in your oven. Doubling it in a regular 12-inch skillet means the rice won’t cook evenly and the chicken pieces will be too crowded.

Why is my chicken skin not crispy after baking? The skin probably got covered by rice or the foil touched it during baking. Make sure the chicken sits on top of the rice with skin fully exposed and press the foil down around the pan edges, not on the chicken itself.

How long does this last in the fridge? 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. The rice soaks up more liquid as it sits so it gets thicker, just add broth when you reheat it.

Can I freeze Tuscan chicken and rice? The texture gets weird when you freeze and thaw rice cooked in liquid like this. It becomes grainy and separated, the chicken reheats fine but the rice part doesn’t hold up.

What can I use instead of sun-dried tomatoes? Cherry tomatoes cut in half work but they release more liquid so you might need to reduce your broth by 1/4 cup. The flavor is less concentrated and tangy though.

Do I have to use fresh spinach or can I use frozen? Frozen spinach has too much water and will make your rice soupy. If that’s all you have, thaw it completely and squeeze out every drop of liquid first, then use about 1 cup instead of 2 cups fresh.

My rice is done but the chicken isn’t at 165 F yet, what do I do? Take the chicken out and put it back in the oven uncovered for another 5 minutes while the rice rests. The rice won’t overcook sitting off the heat for a few minutes.

Can I use chicken broth from a carton or does it have to be homemade? Carton broth is what I used. Homemade would taste better but it’s not necessary for this to work, just make sure it’s not low sodium or everything tastes flat.

Why does the recipe say to use real Parmesan instead of the green can stuff? The pre-grated kind in the green can has additives that keep it from clumping, which also means it doesn’t melt into the rice the same way. It sits on top instead of creating that creamy texture you want.

What size skillet do I need? I used a 12-inch skillet and everything fit with room to stir. A 10-inch would be too crowded and the rice wouldn’t cook evenly, anything bigger than 12 inches and the liquid spreads too thin.

Can I add more vegetables? You could throw in some diced zucchini or bell peppers with the onions but remember everything needs to fit under the chicken in one layer. Too many vegetables and the rice ratio gets off.

Is there a way to make this less rich? Use half the amount of cream and skip the extra Parmesan on top. You’ll still get flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken fat renders into the rice anyway.

What happens if I forget the lemon juice? The whole dish tastes heavier and one-note without it. Cream and Parmesan need that acid to balance them out, even my husband who hates citrus in his food noticed when I forgot it once.

Do I pat the chicken dry before or after adding oil? Before. If the skin is wet when you add oil, the moisture creates steam instead of a good sear and your chicken won’t brown properly.

Can I use dried parsley instead of fresh for garnish? You can but it tastes like nothing compared to fresh. If you’re going to skip the fresh parsley, just skip the parsley entirely instead of using dried.

Why does my garlic burn even though I only cook it 30 seconds? Your pan is too hot or you’re adding the garlic to a dry spot in the skillet. Make sure there’s butter coating the whole bottom and turn your heat down to medium before the garlic goes in.

How do I get the foil to seal tight around my skillet? Press it down around the rim where the pan meets the edge, not across the middle. If your skillet has a helper handle that sticks out, the foil won’t seal perfect on that side but it still works fine enough.