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Let me introduce you to your family’s new favorite dinner, Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Rice. Don’t you love finding an EASY recipe that also tastes like a fancy restaurant meal? Ultra juicy and succulent chicken meets buttery garlicky rice with kicks of tangy lemon that’s ready to devour in just 30 minutes.
Have you tried my super viral Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers? If so, you’ll recognize this recipe. I’m using this chicken as the base (because it’s our favorite) and turning it into a complete meal. I’ve received many questions about what to pair with this chicken.
I’ve served this garlic parmesan chicken over fettuccini alfredo, chopped salads, or just paired it with veggies. But this Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Rice is THE best way I’ve ever served these chicken skewers.
This is a wholesome meal to add to your rotation, with ingredients like cherry tomatoes, spinach, garlic, feta cheese, chicken breasts and rice. Everyone will adore this recipe and I have it on good authority that it pairs perfectly with white wine 😉
Why I Love Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken & Rice:
Air Fryer Friendly— I was once a hater of air fryers, but these truly turn out some of the juiciest proteins and has quickly become one of my favorite ways to cook chicken.
Easy pantry staples — It doesn’t get much easier than ingredients like rice, chicken broth, butter, parmesan, garlic, tomatoes and feta. I only had to add three items to my grocery list.
Leftovers — Awesome for meal prepping or leftovers for lunch the next day, this lemon garlic parmesan chicken and rice just continues to get more flavorful in the fridge. For optimal reheating, a splash of chicken broth does the trick!
Easy to customize — Easy to make your own with different veggies, adding some white wine to the rice, different cheeses (parmesan pairs amazingly), etc.
Key Ingredients
This meal has a simple ingredients list but packs a huge punch with flavor! Be sure to review the recipe card toward the bottom of the page for a full list of measurements.
• Chicken breasts or tenders
• Garlic Parmesan Butter – butter, parm, garlic, hot sauce, red chili flakes, parsley.
• Lemon
• Feta Cheese
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Rice – whichever rice you prefer. We love jasmine rice or basmati but we’ve also tried it with lower carb options like cauliflower rice or Right Rice.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Step 1: Make the Garlic Parmesan Sauce – by easily combining softened butter with the respective ingredients. This will be used on the chicken and on the rice. I prep my chicken by drizzling it with olive oil and seasoning it well with my favorite poultry seasoning.
Step 2: Get the Rice Cooking – The rice will take about 15 minutes, so I usually start this while I’m getting ready to cook the chicken. For maximum flavor, I use chicken stock instead of water for my rice.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken & Sauté Veggies – while the rice is cooking on the stove, I’ll cook my chicken for 15 minutes in the air fryer, basting them every 4-5 minutes with the garlic parmesan butter and flipping half way through.
Meanwhile, saute the tomatoes and spinach in a pan over medium low with butter and garlic.
Step 4: Assemble & Serve – Add 4-5 tablespoons of the garlic parmesan butter into the cooked rice, tossing to coat. I like to top my rice with a few spoonfuls of feta crumbles, then top with tomatoes and spinach and finally add the sliced chicken breast on top.
Squeeze lemon over the whole dish and enjoy. If I have any garlic parmesan butter leftover, I’ll melt it and spoon it over the top of the dish.
Tools I Love for Making This Dish:
RightRice
Non-Toxic Air Fryer
Air Fryer-Sized Skewers
HexClad Stainless Pot
Looking for Easy & Cozy Dinner Recipes?
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Smothered Chicken and Gravy
Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Creamy Garlic Chicken
I hope you enjoyed this Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Rice recipe. I always look forward to your questions and feedback.
Be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments!
Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenders thighs or breast
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 5 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
- 10-12 oz clamshell cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups rice jamine, basmati, cauliflower, etc.
- 4 cups chicken stock water can work instead
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 2 lemons sliced in half, for serving
Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 8-10 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan grated
- 1 tbsp hot sauce more if desired
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley minced
- 3 green onions, sliced green and white parts
Chicken Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prep chicken by drizzling with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Combine your chicken seasoning mixture and coat chicken on all sides. Leave the chicken whole for grilling/air frying or cut them into 3" pieces if packing onto skewers.
Make the Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce
- Add butter and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until partially melted. Add in remaining ingredients and mix until smooth like a soft paste. (If sauce gets too melted and separates, just add 1-2 tablespoons of softened butter and stir to re-emulsify.)
- Scoop out 1/3 of the sauce and use that for basting the partially-cooked chicken to avoid cross contamination. Be sure to wash your basting brush in between.
Cook The Chicken & Make Rice
- Place chicken in an air fryer and cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, baste with sauce, return to finish cooking (12-14 minutes total) basting every 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, bring chicken stock (or water) to a boil in a pot, add rice, cover and simmer until cooked through according to package instructions.
Sauté Veggies
- While the rice and chicken are cooking, add 3 tablespoons of butter to a skillet over medium-low heat. Add in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and sliced tomatoes. Add in the spinach, handfuls at a time. Saute until tomatoes soften and spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble and serve:
- Add remaining garlic parmesan butter into the cooked rice (about 4-5 tablespoons), tossing to coat.
- To plate, start with a bed of rice, top with a few spoonfuls of feta crumbles, then tomatoes and spinach and finally add the chicken on top. Squeeze lemon over the whole dish and enjoy.
Thank you for this recipe. I can’t tell you how much I love & enjoyed this dish. I had all the ingredients except for feta cheeses & spinach, so I used ricotta instead & since I have fresh basil & Italian parsley, I used them instead. It was soooo good that I couldn’t wait for dinner and eat it again. I will get some feta & spinach the next time I make this and I’m sure it’ll be just in a few days time only from now. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I’ve made this dish a couple of times now and everyone loves it! It is now monthly rotation!!
This turned out really good. I followed the recipe for the most part. I never measure my spices so that’s the only difference. My bf called it fancy chicken. It’s very flavorful and easy to make. I highly recommend and will be adding to my rotating menu.