Creamy Lemon Rice

Bright and citrusy, creamy lemon rice will take you right out of your side-dish slump. Long-grain rice cooked with chicken broth and lemon zest is almost like lemon risotto, but without all the stirring.

For this riff, Taste of Home reader Lyndsay Wells of Ladysmith, British Columbia, uses a small amount of cream cheese to achieve a creamy texture. Fresh basil at the end adds color and herbal flavor that’s hard to resist. This recipe is one to keep in your back pocket for dinner parties (your guests will be so impressed!) or as a side for roast chicken, delicate fish dinners and roasted vegetables any day of the week.

Ingredients for Creamy Lemon Rice

• Long-grain rice: The best types of rice for this recipe are jasmine and basmati. Both of these long-grain varieties cook up in 15 to 20 minutes, as called for in the recipe. You can use any type of rice, but the cooking times may need adjustment.
• Chicken broth: Use homemade chicken broth or the best store-bought chicken broth. Cooking the rice in broth infuses it with so much flavor.
• Cream cheese: The secret ingredient! Adding cream cheese to the cooking liquid is an easy way to create the creamy sauce.
• Fresh lemon: The zest and juice from one fresh lemon give this lemon rice the very best citrus flavor. Here’s a hack to easily juice a lemon.
• Seasonings: A little salt and pepper are all you need to accentuate the lemon flavor in this dish.
• Fresh basil: Minced basil leaves are stirred into the lemon rice right at the end to add herby flavor and color. Find basil in the produce section or try growing some in an indoor kitchen garden.

Directions

Step 1: Blend the cooking liquid

In a saucepan, combine the chicken broth, cubed cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then whisk until evenly combined.

Step 2: Add the rice

Stir in the rice and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 3: Finish with basil

Stir minced basil into the hot cooked rice, then serve immediately.

Creamy Lemon Rice Variations

• Add chicken: Fold in shredded cooked chicken to easily turn this dish into a filling lunch or light supper.
• Top with toasted bread crumbs: Stir panko bread crumbs together with melted butter, then toast them in the oven. The creamy rice is delicious with a sprinkle of the crunchy crumbs.

How to Store Creamy Lemon Rice

Store creamy lemon rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Let the rice cool before storing.

How do you reheat creamy lemon rice?

One way to reheat creamy lemon rice is in the microwave. Loosely cover the rice in a heatproof dish, then microwave it in 60-second bursts, stirring after each interval, until heated through. You can also warm up the lemon rice in a saucepan set over medium heat. Add a splash of chicken broth if the rice needs loosening up.

Creamy Lemon Rice Tips

What other types of rice can you use for lemon rice?

Since the cooking time for creamy lemon rice is relatively short, the best types of white long-grain rice to use are jasmine or basmati. You can also use “regular” long-grain white rice, which cooks in 15 to 20 minutes.

What else can you serve with creamy lemon rice?

Serve creamy lemon rice as a fragrant side with Dutch oven roast chicken or lemon sheet-pan chicken. It’s also delicious alongside grilled steak kabobs, baked haddock and pan-seared red snapper.

[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]