Description
Parmesan Marry Me Chicken Rice is a flavorful oven-baked one-dish meal that combines tender chicken breasts with creamy, tomato-infused rice, enriched with sun-dried tomatoes, aromatic spices, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese for a comforting and delicious dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the bake:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 6 oz sun dried tomatoes (finely chopped, about 1/4-inch pieces)
- 1.5 tbsp tomato paste (preferably Hunt’s)
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1.5 cups rice (rinsed)
- 22 oz chicken stock (Swanson recommended)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
For the finish:
- 3.5 oz cream (room temperature)
- 2 oz parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 1 bunch fresh basil (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Rinse the rice in cold water until it runs clear to remove excess starch. Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes, grate fresh parmesan, and roughly chop the basil. Measure spices and have all ingredients ready.
- Combine Spice Base and Rice: In a large baking dish (9×13 inch), mix tomato paste with oregano, garlic powder, and paprika to create a flavor base. Add rinsed rice, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat rice evenly.
- Add Chicken and Stock: Nestle the chicken breasts evenly into the rice mixture. Pour the 22 oz chicken stock over the dish ensuring rice is covered mostly. The stock flavors the rice and cooks the chicken.
- Bake Covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. Remove foil, gently stir rice to redistribute, check chicken’s internal temperature (165°F) and rice tenderness. If needed, re-cover and bake an additional 10-20 minutes until rice absorbs liquid and becomes creamy.
- Finish with Cream and Cheese: Remove chicken and set aside. Stir room-temperature cream into the hot rice gently to create a creamy sauce. Add freshly grated parmesan and stir until melted smoothly. The cream and parmesan combine to enrich the rice without curdling or clumping.
- Return Chicken and Garnish: Place the cooked chicken breasts back into the creamy rice. Scatter fresh chopped basil over the top to preserve its vibrant color and fresh aroma. Serve immediately, either family-style or plated individually.
Notes
- Rinsing the rice removes excess starch for fluffier rice.
- Use room-temperature cream to avoid curdling when mixed with hot rice.
- Freshly grated parmesan melts better and provides superior flavor compared to pre-shredded.
- Covering the dish tightly during baking retains moisture and cooks rice and chicken evenly.
- Checking chicken’s internal temperature ensures it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Parmesan chicken, baked chicken rice, creamy chicken recipe, sun dried tomatoes, easy chicken dinner, one dish meal
