Peruvian Chicken with Plums

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

1. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

2. Garlic + tomatotop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together14,076 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

3. Tomato + saffrontop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together369 recipes

   Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).

4. Pepper + clovetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

5. Garlic + jalapenotop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,700 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Chicken

Browning in oil builds color and flavor on the surface, and simmering keeps the meat moist.

Onions

Softened by sautéing, they add sweetness and body to the base of the sauce.

Chicken stock

Liquid that simmers the chicken and vegetables until tender and forms the sauce.

Tomato

Adds acidity and body to the sauce as it simmers.

Plums

Add fruity sweetness and tartness that balances the savory, spiced sauce.

Brown rice

Absorbs the cooking liquid and makes the dish a complete, starchy base.

The step that matters

Swap the saffron

The recipe marks saffron as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (chicken, onion, pepper, garlic, clove, tomato, jalapeno):

1. Cuminfits better
2. Corianderfits better
3. Thymefits better
4. Saffronthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against chicken, onion, pepper, garlic, clove, tomato, jalapeno. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.