Creamy Ranch Chicken

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the broccoli into small, roughly 2 cm florets and thinly slice any tender stalk. Slice the boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally into four cutlets about 1.25 cm thick, gently flattening thicker areas if needed. Season both sides with the Italian seasoning and black pepper.

2. 2

   Put the uncooked long-grain white rice and 480 ml water in a 3-litre saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover tightly and reduce to low. Simmer for 12 minutes, then quickly scatter the broccoli over the rice without stirring. Cover and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Cook the chicken and sauce in parallel with these rice stages.

3. 3

   While the rice cooks, melt the butter in a 30 cm deep skillet over low heat. Brush it over both sides of the chicken cutlets.

4. 4

   Add the olive oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium. Sear the chicken in two batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden. Transfer each batch to a plate reserved for the partially cooked chicken; it will finish cooking in the sauce.

5. 5

   Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low. Add the condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, onion powder and ranch seasoning. Whisk until smooth, scraping up the golden pan juices, and heat gently for 4–5 minutes until steaming and slightly thickened.

6. 6

   Put the sour cream in a bowl and gradually whisk in about 120 ml of the warm sauce. Reduce the skillet heat to low and stir this mixture back into the sauce. Keep it below a boil to prevent splitting.

7. 7

   Return the chicken and all collected juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the cutlets and cook gently for 4–6 minutes, turning once, until the centre of every cutlet reaches 74°C/165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Use utensils for serving.

8. 8

   Gently fluff the rice around the broccoli and divide between four plates. Add one chicken cutlet to each plate and spoon over the ranch sauce.