American · main

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Skillet

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Skillet reads umami 7.3, richness 6.5 and salinity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 54 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.3 · Richness 6.5 · Salinity 4.9 · Allium 4.3 · Earthy 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Nutty 2.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Sweetness 2.1 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Bitterness 1.2 · Heat 0.8 · Floral 0.8 · Citrus 0.7 · Sourness 0.6

What's in it (14)

• boneless chicken — 680 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g
• cremini mushrooms — 227 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 9 g
• wild rice — 177 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 710 g
• thyme — 1 g
• heavy cream — 118 g
• parmesan cheese — 57 g
• baby spinach — 473 g
• parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 54 min (49 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 85.6 kcal, 10.4 g protein, 4.2 g fat, 3.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with the salt and pepper.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear until golden on the first side, 2-3 minutes; flip and sear the second side until golden, 1-2 minutes (the chicken will not be cooked through yet). Transfer the chicken and any juices to a plate.
3. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and turn deeply browned, 6-7 minutes.
4. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the rice blend and stir constantly to toast it in the fat, about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the broth and thyme, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, and bring to a boil.
7. Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F, 22-25 minutes.
8. Uncover, stir in the cream and Parmesan, and cook until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the rice, 2-3 minutes.
9. Fold in the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes so the sauce sets, then scatter with parsley and serve directly from the skillet.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo — Italian-American
• Escarole Soup With Chicken And Rice — Greek
• One-Pan Chicken Alfredo Skillet — Italian-American
• Meatball Subs with Melted Provolone — Italian-American
• Spinach Artichoke Baked Pasta — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.