Power-Build Chicken & Creamy Rice Skillet

🥘 Ingredients

• 250 g chicken breast, diced
• 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 30 g grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1
   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chicken, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly golden and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
2. 2
   In the same skillet, add butter and onion. Cook for 2 minutes until softened, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
3. 3
   Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to lightly toast it.
4. 4
   Pour in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
5. 5
   While the rice cooks, sauté the bell pepper and zucchini in a separate pan for 4 to 5 minutes until tender with slight color.
6. 6
   Once the rice is nearly done, stir in parmesan, Greek yogurt, spinach, and lemon juice. Mix until creamy and the spinach wilts.
7. 7
   Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and fold in the sautéed vegetables. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes until everything is hot.
8. 8
   Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Finish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

📊 Nutritional Information

• Fiber: 4 g per serving
• Calcium: approximately 220 mg per serving
• Iron: approximately 3 mg per serving
• Vitamin C: high from bell pepper and lemon juice
• Vitamin A: present from spinach and bell pepper
• Potassium: approximately 780 mg per serving
• Sodium: moderate, depending on broth and parmesan used

💡 Cooking Tips

• Dice the chicken evenly so it cooks quickly and stays juicy.
• Keep the rice at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, to help it turn creamy instead of drying out.
• Stir the dairy ingredients in at the end to reduce the chance of curdling.
• If the skillet looks dry before the rice is tender, add a small splash of broth.
• Make sure chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 74 C before serving.
• For even more calories during a weight-gain phase, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil or serve with a slice of crusty bread.