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Creamy Lemon Chicken Bake.
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Lemon Chicken and Rice Bake

This Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake is easy to make and is the perfect comfort food dish for a family meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Family Dinners
Cuisine: International
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 983kcal
Author: Marianne Rogerson

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Dish
  • 1 Frying Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice
  • 50 g butter
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 750 g chicken thigh fillets
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or crushed
  • 400 ml chicken stock
  • 200 ml thickened cream
  • 1 lemon freshly squeezed juice of
  • 50 g parmesan freshly grated
  • 60 g baby spinach

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 360F
  • Pour out and cover the bottom of your baking dish with the rice.
  • Season the chicken thighs generously with salt & pepper (plus any other herbs or spices you choose).
  • Melt ⅓ of the butter and the olive oil over a high heat in a frying pan or skillet. Sear the chicken on both sides until lightly browned. (You are not cooking the chicken all the way through, it will cook later in the oven).
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and arrange in a single layer over the rice in the baking dish.
  • Lower the heat under the frying pan to medium and add the remaining butter.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes until soft.
  • Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, parmesan, cream, and spinach. Stir and bring to the boil.
  • Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened and the spinach has melted.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken in the baking dish. If you like, you can decorate with some lemon slices.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
  • Serve with a simple side salad.

Notes

  1. I use long-grain rice for this dish but you can also use arborio (risotto) rice or substitute for a rice-shaped pasta such as orzo or risoni.
  2. In addition to salt & pepper, you can season with any other herb or spice. Thyme and paprika both work well here. 
  3. For a different variation, substitute the thickened cream for coconut cream. 
  4. You can also add other vegetables to the dish along with the chicken. Try pumpkin, cherry tomatoes, green beans or broccoli. 

Nutrition

Calories: 983kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 276mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 719mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2708IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 3mg