Name: Easy Chicken & Rice Bowls with Creamy Garlic Sauce
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts if you must, but thighs are juicier); 2 tbsp olive oil (the good stuff if you have it, the cheap stuff if you don’t); 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp paprika (smoked if you’ve got it); ½ tsp salt (more to taste); Fresh ground black pepper (as much as you dare); 2 cups jasmine or basmati rice (rinse it first, trust me); 3¾ cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon cube if we’re being real); 1 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted, whatever’s in your fridge); ½ tsp salt (skip if using salted butter or salty broth); 5-6 cloves garlic (yes, that many); 2 tbsp butter; 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1½ cups chicken broth; ¾ cup whole milk or half-and-half (skim milk = sad sauce); ¼ cup grated parmesan (the real stuff, not the sawdust in the green can); ½ tsp dried thyme; Salt and pepper to taste; Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional if you like a little kick); 2 cups baby spinach (or whatever greens need to be used up); 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 avocado, sliced; Sliced green onions for garnish; Lemon wedges (the squeeze of acid makes everything pop); Optional: roasted veggies, cucumber, pickled red onions, or anything else in your fridge that needs eating

Description

So I came up with this recipe on one of those nights when I was staring into my fridge wondering how to turn random ingredients into something that wouldn’t make me sad. Turns out, this chicken and rice bowl situation is now my go-to when I need something stupid easy but still want to feel like I have my life together. It’s basically tender chicken and fluffy rice topped with veggies and the most ridiculous creamy garlic sauce that I could honestly eat with a spoon (and sometimes do, no judgment). Perfect for meal prep, last-minute dinners, or when you need to impress someone with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts if you must, but thighs are juicier)
2 tbsp olive oil (the good stuff if you have it, the cheap stuff if you don’t)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (smoked if you’ve got it)
½ tsp salt (more to taste)
Fresh ground black pepper (as much as you dare)

For the Rice:

2 cups jasmine or basmati rice (rinse it first, trust me)
3¾ cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon cube if we’re being real)
1 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted, whatever’s in your fridge)
½ tsp salt (skip if using salted butter or salty broth)

For the Creamy Garlic Sauce:

5–6 cloves garlic (yes, that many)
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
¾ cup whole milk or half-and-half (skim milk = sad sauce)
¼ cup grated parmesan (the real stuff, not the sawdust in the green can)
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional if you like a little kick)

For the Bowl Assembly:

2 cups baby spinach (or whatever greens need to be used up)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, sliced
Sliced green onions for garnish
Lemon wedges (the squeeze of acid makes everything pop)
Optional: roasted veggies, cucumber, pickled red onions, or anything else in your fridge that needs eating