One Skillet Cajun Creole Lemon Chicken and Rice (low FODMAP)
10 Minutes prep • 30 Minutes cook • Low FODMAP • Gluten-free • Serves 4 • Ok to make ahead: Step 1
Creamy rice and pasta make a delicious foundation for tender and delicious chicken in this recipe. The fresh herbs and lemon add extra flavor and the buttery sauce makes it melt in your mouth. Boneless chicken thighs are perfectly suited for this recipe, but you can use chicken breasts if you prefer. It’s easy to double or triple so you can make it for company. And, since it’s all made in one pan, cleanup is easy too. Leftovers heat up perfectly in a covered skillet so don’t hesitate to make extra. You’ll be glad you did!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer)
2 tablespoons Smoke N Sanity Cajun Creole seasoning (use code IBSGC10 for a 10% discount)
6 tablespoons salted butter, divided
1 lemon, sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 cup dry broken gluten-free spaghetti or linguini* (I used Rummo Gluten-Free Linguini)
1 cup long-grain rice
1 bunch green onions (green part only), chopped
3-4 cups Gourmend low FODMAP chicken broth (use code IBSGC15 for 15% discount)
1/2 cup fresh tender herbs, chopped (I used cilantro and flat-leaf parsley)
1 teaspoon Gourmend Garlic Chive powder (use code IBSGC15 for 15% discount)
1 teaspoon Smoke N Sanity Essence of Garlic Salt (use code IBSGC10 for 10% discount)
Directions
(1) Prepare the chicken: This step is optional but results in a more flavorful and tender chicken. Remove chicken from the package and put it in one layer on a rimmed plate or baking dish. Season both sides of each piece lightly with Kosher salt. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, ideally about 4 hours before cooking or overnight.
(2) Prepare: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the chicken in a large oven-safe skillet (without turning the stove on). Drizzle with the garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle with cajun seasoning. Toss to coat. Remove the chicken. Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add another tablespoon of garlic-infused olive oil to the pan.
(3) Sear the chicken: Once hot, add the chicken back to the pan and sear on both sides until golden, 3-5 minutes. During the last 1 - 2 minutes of cooking, add 1 tablespoon of butter and the lemon slices to the skillet. After a minute, remove the chicken and lemon slices from the pan and set aside on a plate.
(4) Cook the rice and pasta: Add the rice and pasta to the hot pan. Stir to coat the rice and pasta in the oil and seasonings in the pan and cook until the rice is toasted, about 1 minute. Add the green onions and continue to cook another minute, then pour in 3 cups of chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
(5) Add the chicken back to the pan: Slide the chicken, lemon slices, and any juices left on the plate back into the pan. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Cook for about 10 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it. If it seems dry, add another 1/2 cup of broth. Put the pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender (if using chicken breasts, this may only take 5 - 10 minutes). You can add another 1/2 cup of broth during this cook too, if the rice is not tender and the mixture seems dry. (I used a total of 4 cups of broth in this manner when I prepared this dish and it was perfect.)
(6) Make the herbed butter: Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Add the Gourmend Garlic Chive powder and the Smoke N Sanity Essence of Garlic Salt and stir to combine. Cook until the butter is starting to brown and froth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh herbs.
(7) Plate and serve: Serve the chicken and rice with a few spoons of the herbed butter drizzled over the top and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!
Recipe notes: *It’s OK to swap the pasta for an additional 1/2 cup of rice if you prefer a no-flour version of this recipe.
I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt in all my recipes because it has a wonderful flat and crisp flake that tastes delicious. It is also the least salty salt available so you can use it more liberally as a seasoning than you can table salt or sea salt. If you use another type of salt, you may need to reduce the amount so it is not over-salted.
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