This garlic herb chicken with rice is an easy 25-minute dinner that has tender and juicy chicken cooked in a buttery garlic herb sauce with lemon parmesan riced cauliflower. This chicken and cauliflower “rice” skillet is a delicious low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly main dish for dinner.

A few tips to make sure your rice is cooked perfectly is by washing the rice under a running tap until the water runs clear then as a general rule for every part of rice, you need two parts of water(1:2). But while cooking in Instant Pot because there is no evaporation of water, the amount of water you would need is less.

The rice to water ratio would be 1:1.5. If the rice is of the starchy kind, you will have to adjust the quantity of water and time. The age of the rice grain also determines the end result. The older/aged, the better. Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs, the flavor is incredible.

Cauliflower rice is cooked in butter with garlic and spinach for a healthy, delicious and very easy side dish. This is a perfect side dish for chicken, and it’s done in about 15 minutes.

Ingredients;

  • 1 1/2 pound (650g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, or breasts
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 14 oz. (400g) cauliflower rice
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus zest, and lemon slices for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

Instructions;

  1. In a large bowl, arrange chicken thighs and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mix well and marinate for 10 – 15 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until you obtain a rice-like consistency. Set aside.
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Add oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Lay the chicken skin-side down, and cook for 4 – 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165°F (75°C).
  4. Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken thighs. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Keep the cooking juices and fat in the pan.
  5. In the same pan, fry garlic and onion for 1 minute until fragrant — be careful not to burn. Stir in the hot sauce and mix well. Add the riced cauliflower and mix everything together.
  6. Stir in chicken stock, parsley, the lemon juice, and lemon zest (if using). Cook for 2 or 3 minutes to reduce juices then add parmesan cheese.
  7. Adjust seasoning as needed. Return chicken thighs over cauliflower rice and reheat quickly. Serve with fresh cracked black pepper, red chili pepper flakes, fresh herbs, and more parmesan if you want.