Why it works: Mushroom and chicken are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,172 recipes. Both carry 1-butyl acetate, which smells fruity, banana. The science ↓
Baked Mushroom Rice I
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cook onions in butter until soft.
Add rice, salt, pepper, mushrooms, pimientos, broth, and sherry.
Bring to a boil; stir.
Pour into buttered 2-quart baking dish.
Bake and serve
Cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil.
Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Fluff with a fork.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Mushrooms | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
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.
-
Mushroom + chickentop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,172 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-butyl acetate (fruity, banana).
-
Rice + chickentop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,769 recipes
Shared aroma: (e,e)-2,4-decadienal (fatty, deep fried).
-
Mushroom + sherrytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,176 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (smoky, clove).
-
Butter + mushroomtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,525 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Onion + chickentop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,814 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Uncooked rice
- Forms the bulk of the dish and absorbs the broth as it bakes until tender.
- Chicken broth
- Supplies the cooking liquid that the rice absorbs, giving moisture and savory flavor.
- Sliced mushrooms
- Add earthy flavor and moisture, with their liquid adding to the cooking liquid.
- Dry sherry
- Adds aromatic depth and a slight acidity to the savory broth.
- Butter or margarine
- Adds fat and richness, and helps soften the green onions at the start.
The step that matters
Covering the dish tightly before baking. A tight lid or foil traps steam so the rice cooks evenly in the measured liquid. If the dish is left uncovered, liquid evaporates early and the rice can stay firm while the top dries out.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, rice, pepper, mushroom, chicken, sherry):
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Tomatofits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, rice, pepper, mushroom, chicken, sherry. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
Chicken Broth257 recipes
Chicken Soup156 recipes
Creamed Chicken89 recipes
Rice Fritters84 recipes