Creamy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice is a lightened up take on a classic chicken dish. With hearty chicken and fluffy cauliflower rice in a savory Parmesan sauce, it’s ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for a low carb weeknight dinner!
One pan meals are the ultimate time-savor for busy families. I love it when I can cook protein and veggies all in one pan. It saves on dishes and the flavors all meld together delightfully. It’s why recipes like Keto Stuffed Pepper Skillet and Mexican Cauliflower Rice are so popular!
And this low-carb take on classic chicken and rice is another winner. It takes minimal effort to make and that creamy parmesan sauce appeals to every palate!
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: You will need boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe. You can also use chicken breasts.
- Onion: Just a little onion adds flavor without too many carbs.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must for this creamy one-pan meal!
- Italian seasoning: This gives the dish more depth of flavor.
- Cauliflower rice: You can use fresh or frozen, as both take about the same time to cook.
- Heavy cream: This adds richness and creaminess.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan offers the best flavor, as well as thickness to the final dish.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, salt, pepper.
How to Make Chicken and Cauliflower Rice
- Sauté the savories: Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender.
- Cook the chicken: Add the chicken and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the chicken is mostly cooked through.
- Add the “rice”: Stir in the cauliflower rice and cover the pan. Cook until tender.
- Add the cream and cheese: Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan until well combined and melted.
- Garnish and serve! Sprinkle with chopped parsley and additional parmesan.
Tips for Success
This recipe is so easy, it’s hard to mess up! But I do think chicken thighs end up more flavorful and juicy than chicken breasts.
It doesn’t matter whether you use fresh or frozen cauliflower as they take about the same time to cook and soften. Just don’t thaw it if using frozen.
Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor – it also melts better and helps thicken the sauce. Skip the junky powdery stuff in a green can!
More Delicious Cauliflower Rice Recipes
Creamy Chicken Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (28.4 g) butter, or olive oil
- 1/3 cup (53.33 g) chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 lb (680.39 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup (79.33 g) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken and sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the chicken is nicely browned and mostly cooked through, about 7 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower rice and toss to combine well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan with a lid. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and the parmesan until well combined and melted.
- Garnish with additional grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Oh.My.Word!!!!!! This is just fabulous! The chicken is so tender and juicy! And the cauliflower looses the taste and becomes rice!
I did cheat and added just a little more cream, but no other changes!
Thank you!
Thank you Carolyn for such a nice looking recipe!
I have yet to make it, but I’m sure if it taste as great as it looks, it’s gonna be terrific! Thanks again and have a fabulous day!
Trying to lower my food bills for awhile to catch up my cash flow. Using up some stored foods and this type of dish will really let my wallet relax! I have canned chicken and turkey as well as some dehydrated cauliflower and broccoli. Great recipe for my needs. Thank you!
I’m new to eating higher protein. This dish is so yummy and filling I’m adding it to my favorites. Thank you Carolyn!!
On a side note, I’ve signed up for you free baking secrets several times 😅, but haven’t seen it and I’ve checked all the different folders on my Gmail.
I am so glad you like it! Let me look at your email address in my system and see if it’s being sent out.
Hey there, I took a look and it has you as “cancelled” on April 4th of 2026 (you unsubscribed on that date). Looks like anything you were signed up for got cancelled as well and that’s probably why it’s not sending out to you.
I just made this last night and it is amazing! I added peas for some additional veggies and protein. Heaven in a bowl! This is my new favorite. I had to switch to a spoon from a fork so I could scoop up the buttery saucey goodness. Amen.
Definitely a winner, will be making this again, so easy to make
Easy savory comfort dish; perfect as fall settles in. I used breasts (can’t abide thighs) and added a little spinach. Delicious!
Making this soon!