Prepare and Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and butter in your large skillet over a medium-high heat. Once the butter is foaming, add the chicken breasts. Sear for 4-5 minutes on each side until they are a deep golden brown. They don't need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate.

Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the same pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and turned translucent. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you go. Add the minced garlic and dried thyme and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Toast the Rice: Add the uncooked rice directly into the pan. Stir it continuously for about a minute to coat it in the oil and aromatics. This toasting step gives the rice a slightly nutty flavour and helps it cook more evenly.

Add Liquid and Simmer: Pour in the hot chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan one last time to release any flavourful bits. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Cook Everything Together: Return the seared chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them down into the rice and liquid. What works best for me is to arrange them in a single layer. Once the liquid is simmering again, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and let it cook for 18-20 minutes.

Check for Doneness: After 18-20 minutes, remove the lid. The rice should have absorbed most of the liquid and be tender. Check that the chicken is cooked through – it should register 74°C on a meat thermometer. If the rice is still a bit firm, add another splash of hot water or stock, replace the lid, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Make it Creamy: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the double cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. Stir gently until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Rest and Serve: Let the dish stand for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and the flavours to meld. Serve the creamy chicken and rice warm, with an extra sprinkle of parsley if you like.