Parmesan Chicken & Rice

This is a nice light version of the typical Italian dish, risotto. Nick and I are both big fans of the creamy rice concoction, but we treat ourselves to it only on special occasions because it can be pretty heavy. I came across this lighter adaptation on Cooking Light and only made a couple of slight modifications on the original recipe.

There are no leftovers to speak of, so you know it was a hit! This was also a great clean-up meal since you only need to use one pot! I served this with a side salad - it was a very filling meal!

Parmesan Chicken and Rice (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked instant rice (in my pantry was Uncle Ben's Fast & Healthy Brown Rice)
1.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender.

2. Add chicken; saute 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned.

3. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

4. Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.

**Note: The original recipe only called for 1 cup of chicken broth but I had to add an additional 1/2 cup because the rice was not yet cooked after cooking through the first cup of broth.