What are all the things that we love about risotto? The creaminess. The silkiness. The intense flavor achieved from constant stirring and copious amounts of chicken broth and cream.
These things are all achievable in your kitchen. And they’re achievable without standing at the stove stirring for what seems like an eternity. Because we have more important things to do than to stir a pot of rice for a half hour, amiright? But how to achieve such a feat?
The answer: sticky. rice.
Sticky rice can be found in some big supermarkets these days, and can also be found at any Asian grocery store. It can also be found here on Amazon, for a much higher price, but it’s an option if you don’t have any Asian markets near you. Make sure you’re buying “sweet rice,” “sticky rice” or “glutinous rice,” rather than “sushi rice.” It has the high starch content that, when combined with more moisture, creates a creamy consistency that kind of mimics the texture of a risotto without all the work. Simply cook the sticky rice and mix it up with some white wine, chicken broth, and things like parmesan cheese and mushrooms, and you’ve suddenly taken this Asian ingredient into Western territory. In a really good way. This is actually sort of a Western take on this Asian version of Roast Chicken w/ Sticky rice. When baked in a pan, topped with roasted lemon thyme chicken, it’s freaking EPIC.
Here’s how to make it!
- 4 chicken leg quarters or 8 chicken thighs, trimmed of all fat
- salt and pepper
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Olive Oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound wild mushrooms, like shiitake, porcini, crimini, oyster, chanterelle, etc.
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups cooked sticky rice
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- a handful chopped fresh parsley
Make sure to trim all the fat off the chicken (if the dish still turns out a little oily at the end, just skim it off with a spoon). Take your chicken leg quarters and pat them dry with a paper towel. Put them in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add the lemon zest and thyme to the bowl. Rub the seasoning into the chicken thoroughly and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and cook until just starting to caramelize. Add the mushrooms and cook until caramelized. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook for another couple minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add all the mushrooms back into the pan and stir in the rice, scallions, chicken stock, and parmesan cheese.
Check for seasoning and transfer the mushroom and rice mixture to a baking dish. Top with the chicken and brush it lightly with olive oil.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is bubbly. Turn on the broiler for a couple minutes if the chicken still needs a bit of color on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Hail to sticky rice! If you like this, try another sticky rice recipe like Sticky rice with Chinese Sausage, Dim Sum Sticky Rice Lotus Leaf Wraps w/ Chicken (Lo Mai Gai), or Roasted Chicken with Sticky Rice.
Roast Chicken on Wild Mushroom Sticky Rice “Risotto”
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters (or 8 chicken thighs, trimmed of all fat)
- salt and pepper
- 1 lemon (zested)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Olive Oil
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 pound wild mushrooms (450g; shiitake, porcini, crimini, oyster, chanterelle, etc.)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups cooked sticky rice
- 2 scallions (chopped)
- 4 cups chicken stock (about 1 liter)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Take your chicken leg quarters and pat them dry with a paper towel. Put them in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add the lemon zest and thyme to the bowl. Rub the seasoning into the chicken thoroughly and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and cook until just starting to caramelize. Add the mushrooms and cook until caramelized. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook for another couple minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add all the mushrooms back into the pan and stir in the rice, scallions, chicken stock, and parmesan cheese. Check for seasoning and transfer the mushroom and rice mixture to a baking dish. Top with the chicken and brush it with olive oil.
- Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, and the rice is bubbly. Turn on the broiler for a couple minutes if the chicken still needs a bit of color on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Hi I have tried the sticky rice with chinese sausage earlier and it was really yummy. In this recipe, it required cooked sticky rice. Do I steam it for 45 mins using the same method that was previously mentioned in your other page or cook it using the rice cooker, placing water together similar to cooking normal rice?
Hi Linda, the best method for sticky rice is steaming. Rice cookers won’t work unless your rice cooker has a setting specifically for sticky rice. Here’s our post on how to cook sticky rice: https://thewoksoflife.com/how-to-make-sticky-rice/.
What kind of white wine would you suggest? Generally a dry white gets paired with chicken dishes so is that what I should go for or would you recommend something else?
Hi Nathan, a dry white wine works best! I will update that in the post!
I love your blog and I am slowly working my way through some childhood favorites! For this recipe, can I cook the sticky rice a day ahead and use add cold rice to the recipe?
Thanks for the kind words! Yep, you can totally do that Teresa. You may need to resteam/reheat the rice though so it breaks up easier.
This recipe was so good! My first time making sticky rice too – which I did a no soak version in my Instant Pot from a recipe on Pressure Cook Recipes (a sweet Chinese couple’s blog, who create recipes for pressure cookers). It came out perfectly (the sticky rice – which I LOVE from dim sum restaurants!). I used fresh shitake and oyster mushrooms, and was perfectly happy to eat just the rice part of this dish (and did for three days for lunch). The entire recipe was so good, and I see myself making this again and again!
As a side note, I’m tempted to send you guys an Instant Pot to play with, so you can create pressure cooker recipes too! LOL I LOVE making my jasmine rice in it – turns out perfect every time (also using a recipe from the same site mentioned above).
Hey Robin, so glad that you enjoyed this recipe. Yes, we have yet to get on the Instant Pot bandwagon, but it seems like a lot of people love using them. Maybe I’ll have to try it out.
Sarah – if you are seriously considering getting one – wait for Amazon Prime Day – they always have a model or two for sale on Prime Day for 1/2 price at leaat. I got my first Instant Pot (yes, I have more than one!) on Prime Day last year. It’s usually in mid July, the official day hasn’t been set yet for 2017. I actually signed up for a Prime membership that day, waited for it to deliver and canceled Prime (and was given a pro-rated refund). Of course later, I ended up signing up for Prime membership and kept it. :)
But I’m really enjoying trying out your recipes! Headed to Super H Mart in a bit to get some pork belly to make your mom’s Hong Shao Rou, and your Pork Belly with Bell Peppers and Wood Ear Mushrooms!
Hm, good to know. Thanks Robin. I don’t know if I should be buying yet another kitchen appliance, but I’ll keep the instant pot in mind when prime day rolls around. That’s so awesome that you have a Super H Mart near you! Let us know how those other dishes turn out!