Name: Stick of Butter Chicken Rice – Easy, Creamy One-Pot Dinner
Ingredients: 1 whole stick of butter (1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons – don’t you dare use margarine!); 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trust me, thighs are WAY better than breasts here); 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati work great); 1 medium onion, diced (yellow or white, whatever you’ve got); 3-4 garlic cloves, minced (or more if you’re a garlic fiend like me); 3 cups chicken broth (the good stuff, not the watery nonsense); 1 packet onion soup mix (yeah, I went there – it’s a flavor bomb); 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn – or fresh if you’re feeling fancy); Salt and pepper to taste; 1/2 teaspoon paprika (for color and a tiny bit of smokiness); 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh if you’ve got it); 1/2 cup heavy cream (makes it EXTRA rich); 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, parmesan, whatever melts nicely); Green onions for topping (makes everything look prettier); Fresh parsley (same deal)

Description

Okay, so the name basically tells you everything you need to know – there’s literally a whole stick of butter in this dish, and it’s GLORIOUS. This is one of those “throw everything in one pot and pray” recipes that actually works every single time. The butter melts down and creates this insanely creamy, rich sauce that coats the rice and chicken perfectly. It’s comfort food at its finest, and honestly, it’s saved my butt on so many “what the heck are we eating tonight?” weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Main Event:

1 whole stick of butter (1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons – don’t you dare use margarine!)
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trust me, thighs are WAY better than breasts here)
1.5 cups long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati work great)
1 medium onion, diced (yellow or white, whatever you’ve got)
3–4 garlic cloves, minced (or more if you’re a garlic fiend like me)
3 cups chicken broth (the good stuff, not the watery nonsense)
1 packet onion soup mix (yeah, I went there – it’s a flavor bomb)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn – or fresh if you’re feeling fancy)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika (for color and a tiny bit of smokiness)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh if you’ve got it)

Optional But Highly Recommended:

1/2 cup heavy cream (makes it EXTRA rich)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, parmesan, whatever melts nicely)
Green onions for topping (makes everything look prettier)
Fresh parsley (same deal)