Italian chicken and rice is quick, easy, budget-friendly, and a one-pan meal that makes weeknight dining manageable.
I’m sorry I’m not sorry I’ve been on such a chicken breast kick lately, but the reality is when I forget to meal plan and a pack of chicken breasts staring at me in the fridge or freezer, I feel most comfortable whipping together a meal with pantry staples without feeling like a 5pm failure. Ok calling myself a failure is a little dramatic. I should say without feeling chaotic myself. Because Lord knows the crew is always going crazy when I’m trying to cook meals like Italian chicken and rice.
Want to know what else makes me feel a little on the chaotic side? Not really having a posting schedule when it comes to the blog. I tried doing a M-W-F thing and that didn’t work. I tried a T-Th thing and for some reason that didn’t work either. So for now, I’m going to try sticking to a M-Th schedule and we’ll see how I can keep up! But know if you don’t hear from me on a Monday or Thursday, and get an email update on a Saturday, I’m doing just fine. Things just didn’t go according to plan.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s get back to the star of this post: Italian chicken and rice.
It’s fairly simple to transform a plain old chicken breast when you’re looking at a can of diced tomatoes and an opened bottle of white wine. It’s also even easier to make this Italian chicken and rice when you use a package of microwaveable brown rice. If the white wine didn’t sell you on trying this recipe, then I think that store-bought shortcut regarding the rice should. If your crew is a fan of pasta vs. rice, then, by all means, swap the two. You could even use zucchini noodles to make this recipe low-carb. But if you know my toddlers, you know they love their carbs. And if whole grains are a gateway to eating more protein then I’m not messing with a good thing!
How would your family enjoy this Italian chicken and rice dish? Low-carb? Or bring on the cheese tortellini?!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup white wine [I used Pinot Grigio]
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 cups brown rice, cooked according to package directions
- Grated Parmesan cheese as desired for serving
- Heat oven to 375. Meanwhile, heat oven-safe Dutch oven or oven-safe pan to medium-high heat. Add oil and chicken breasts. Brown chicken breasts on both sides, about 5 minutes per side, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Remove chicken from pan. Add garlic and onion, and sauté until onion is soft. Then add white wine, tomatoes, and spices. Add chicken back to pan and bring sauce to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat.
- Cover pan and put into the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
- While chicken is cooking cook rice according to package directions.
- Serve chicken with sauce, rice, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
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Thanks for this recipe! We tried it tonight. It was easy, tasty, and I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen. That’s the kind of recipe I like! Plus, the kids even enjoyed it (and they usually eat chicken only if there is nothing on it, not even salt and pepper). I served it with some roasted broccoli.