Creamy Smothered Chicken Dinner (Family-Friendly Recipe)

Tonight’s dinner was one of those cozy, satisfying meals—creamy smothered chicken with chicken-flavored rice and a crisp Caesar salad. This is comfort food at its finest and surprisingly simple to throw together on a busy weeknight. This recipe will hit the spot and likely leave you with a few happy leftovers.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, butterflied (cut in half lengthwise)

• Garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika (to season)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ cup flour

• 4 tbsp butter

• 2 cups chicken broth

• Two 10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• Chopped green onions (for topping)

On the Side:

• 1 box Chicken & Garlic Rice-A-Roni

• 1 Caesar salad kit

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken:
   Season both sides of the chicken with garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook about 7–8 minutes per side, or until fully cooked (internal temp of 165°F). Once done, remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Cook the Rice:
   In a separate skillet, start the Rice-A-Roni according to the instructions on the box.

3. Make the Creamy Sauce:
   In the same skillet you used for the chicken (don’t wipe it out—those brown bits are flavor gold!), melt the butter. Scrape up any bits stuck to the pan and stir them into the melted butter. Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously until a thick roux forms.

4. Build the Sauce:
   Slowly whisk in the chicken broth to smooth out the roux. Then stir in the cream of chicken soup and heavy whipping cream. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes until everything is well combined and creamy.

5. Bring it Together:
   Add the cooked chicken back into the sauce along with the Parmesan cheese. Simmer everything together until the rice is done.

6. Serve It Up:
   Plate the chicken with a scoop of rice, pour that creamy sauce over the top, and garnish with green onions and a little extra Parmesan. Toss together the Caesar salad and dinner is ready to serve!

Notes

• This recipe is easy to tweak—try adding mushrooms or spinach to the sauce for a veggie boost.

• You can sub chicken thighs if you prefer a juicier cut.

• This makes amazing leftovers! Just reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream.

If you make this dish, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Tag me or leave a comment below!