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 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.
- 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 white wine
- 6 cups cooked sticky rice
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- a handful chopped fresh parsley
- 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.
Thea Fu says
Hi ! I tried this recipe today ! Thank you for the recipe , it was very delicious and my family loved it! One thing went wrong though, my rice got burnt a lil at the bottom of the pan and some on top. How do i prevent this to happen? Was i suppose to brush off olive oil on top if the rice before i put in the oven? The chicken was perfect though– not raw and not overcook..
Sarah says
Hey Thea, if the rice burned a little on top, you can prevent that by lightly tenting the pan with aluminum foil. You can prevent the bottom from burning by putting the roasting pan/baking dish in a bain marie––basically a rimmed baking sheet filled with a centimeter or two of water.
It sounds like your oven my run a little hot in general––maybe just decrease the oven temp by 25 degrees F?
Rosie says
Hi Sarah! Thanks for sharing this recipe – can’t wait to make it! Should I remove the mushrooms before deglazing the pan with wine?
Thanks in advance!
Sarah says
Hey Rosie, you can leave the mushrooms in there while deglazing!
Katie says
Made this tonight for dinner and it was AMAZING. We loved it. I got a tin of fennel pollen for another recipe and added a few pinches of it to the rice mixture before cooking which I thought was a good addition!
Sarah says
Oooooh fennel pollen…fancy! Sounds like you did a great job with the recipe. So glad you like it. :)
Angelyn says
My culinary life will never be the same now that I’ve found your blog.
Sarah says
Aw, thanks Angelyn!
Michael says
Made this for the family last night and it was awesome! Thanks for sharing Sarah.
Mike
Sarah says
You’re very welcome, Mike. Glad your family enjoyed it!
Mary Kim says
If I cannot find sticky rice what is the next best thing? Jasmati? Sushi? Risotto?
Looks fabulous
Sarah says
Hi Mary, sticky rice is really the only thing to use for this particular recipe. You can find it online, which is somewhat convenient! Just look for “sticky rice,” “sweet rice,” or “glutinous rice,” which are all different names for the same thing.
Nate says
Very good article. I absolutely love this site.
Stick with it!
Sarah says
Thanks Nate!
Ken says
Thank you for the feedback, in answer to your question, yes, it was uncooked rice. What I’m taking from your response is that I should have cooked the rice (using the correct type) first, added to the baking dish and finished in the oven?
I have to say that the chicken came out excellent and love the flavor, even as a left over.
Sarah says
Hey Ken, yup! You have the cooked rice at hand first, and then mix it together with the cooked mushrooms, cheese, chicken stock, etc (see recipe for details). Then you pour it in the baking dish, top with the chicken and bake. If it’s a little confusing to follow the recipe according to the post and pictures, check out the handy printable at the bottom of the post, where the entire recipe is written out. Thanks Ken!!
Ken says
Sarah, i tried your receipe and the chicken came out wonderful. Great flavor. I subsituted rosemary for the thyme, as that is what i had fresh in my garden. it was good.
My concern was the rice. I went to an asian market looking for the sticky rice, ended up with sushi rice which was recommended by the store because it was “sticky”. I think it was wrong rice, as it didn’t cook well and when it came out, it was still chalky. Would you agree? Also, there is an awful lot of rice, don’t you think that 6 cups is a lot for a dish this size. My pan was filled to the rim with the rice & broth.
Sarah says
Hey Ken, yes, sushi rice isn’t quite right for the dish–you’re looking for anything labeled “sticky rice,” “glutinous rice,” or “sweet rice.” Six cups might have been a bit excessive for your pan, sorry about that! We have a pretty deep 9×13 inch baking dish, and the amount was perfect. Did you by any chance use 6 cups of uncooked rice? Because that is definitely a lot! 6 cups of cooked rice should be ok. That said, if you have a smaller baking dish, feel free to reduce the amount of rice you use. Thank you so much for your helpful comment Ken! I’m sure others have the same questions. : )
Eliza Ellis says
Your photography is beautiful, and the recipe looks delicious!
Sarah says
Thank you so much Eliza!