Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken & Broccoli Rice Bowls

The dish in your photo appears to be grilled/charred chicken over rice and broccoli, topped with a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce. Here’s a full homemade version.

Serves

4 people
Prep: 15 min • Cook: 25–30 min

Ingredients

Chicken

700 g (1½ lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried Italian herbs
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice

Creamy Parmesan Sauce

1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan
½ tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
2–4 tbsp chicken broth or milk, as needed
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Optional: pinch of chili flakes

Bowl

3 cups cooked white or basmati rice
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper
Optional: extra Parmesan and parsley for serving

Instructions

1. Season the chicken

Pat the chicken dry.

Mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken with the seasoning and olive oil, then add the lemon juice.

Let it sit for 10–15 minutes if you have time.

2. Cook the chicken

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken and cook for approximately:

Chicken thighs: 5–7 minutes per side
Chicken breasts: 5–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness

You want a nicely browned, slightly charred exterior and an internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F.

Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes. Slice into strips or bite-sized pieces.

Tip: Don’t move the chicken constantly while cooking—the dark caramelized marks in the photo come from letting it sit against the hot pan.

3. Cook the broccoli

Steam the broccoli for 3–5 minutes, until bright green and just tender.

For broccoli closer to what’s pictured, use a skillet instead:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil.
Add broccoli.
Cook over medium-high heat for 4–6 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let some edges become browned/charred.

4. Make the creamy Parmesan sauce

Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds—don’t let it burn.

Pour in the heavy cream and add Italian seasoning and black pepper. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the Parmesan.

Cook another 1–2 minutes, stirring until smooth.

If it’s too thick, add chicken broth or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a pourable consistency.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

5. Assemble the bowls

Add a generous layer of cooked rice to each bowl.

Arrange the broccoli around the rice and pile the sliced grilled chicken on top.

Drizzle generously with the creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce.

Finish with:

Fresh parsley
Extra Parmesan
Black pepper
Optional chili flakes
A small squeeze of lemon

For the appearance in your photo

For that particularly charred, restaurant-style chicken, use chicken thighs and sear them in a very hot cast-iron or heavy skillet. Don’t overcrowd the pan. After slicing, you can briefly return the chicken pieces to the hot pan for another 30–60 seconds to create extra browned edges.

Easy shortcut

You can make this a 30-minute meal by using microwave basmati rice, steamed frozen broccoli, and thinly sliced chicken breast.

Flavor combination: smoky/garlicky chicken + fresh broccoli + fluffy rice + rich Parmesan cream sauce = essentially the bowl shown in your photo.

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.