Why it works: Tomato and olive are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 15,539 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Rice-stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Season the insides of the pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Combine the rice, tomatoes, cheese, basil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Spoon the rice mixture onto the insides of the chicken breasts.
Secure the sides with wooden picks.
Wipe off the outsides of the chicken breasts with a paper towel.
Sear and bake
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the stuffed chicken breasts in the hot oil for 1 minute on each side or until just golden brown.
Transfer the chicken to a shallow baking pan.
Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Let the chicken stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
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 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
| 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.
-
Tomato + olivetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,539 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Tomato + basiltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,979 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Basil + olivetop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,063 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Pepper + basiltop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,294 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
-
Chicken + ricetop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,769 recipes
Shared aroma: (e,e)-2,4-decadienal (fatty, deep fried).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Chicken breast
- Forms the wrapped outer structure and the main protein that holds the filling.
- Cooked brown rice
- Provides the bulk of the filling and absorbs flavor from the broth it was cooked in.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Melts within the filling to bind the rice and tomatoes together and add richness.
- Fresh tomatoes
- Add moisture and light acidity to the stuffing.
- Olive oil
- Conducts heat in the skillet and helps the outside of the chicken brown.
The step that matters
Searing the stuffed chicken. Browning the outside in hot oil builds flavor and color before baking. Cooking too long or at too low a heat can dry the meat or leave the outside pale, so watch the color closely.
Swap the basil
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (chicken, pepper, rice, tomato, mozzarella cheese, olive):
- Basilthe original
- Garlicfits about as well
- Oreganofits less well
- Corianderfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against chicken, pepper, rice, tomato, mozzarella cheese, olive. 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.
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