Weeknight Cooking

Creamy Skillet Rice With Chicken & Mushrooms

by:
December 13, 2023
4.6
5 Ratings
Creamy Skillet Rice With Chicken & Mushrooms
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 35 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

In this recipe, short-grain rice is simmered and stirred with liquid to cook it and release its starch, like a classic risotto. But unlike the classic, this dish is made with milk, which softens the rice and cooks down into an incredibly creamy sauce without the addition of cheese, butter, or heavy cream. Add a rotisserie chicken and you have the ideal, easy weeknight meal. —Samantha Seneviratne

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is shared in partnership with GonnaNeedMilk. —Food52

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Creamy Skillet Rice With Chicken & Mushrooms
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cut into ½-inch slices
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup carnaroli or arborio rice
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 to 2 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 cups (1 pound) cooked chicken
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • Zest of 1 large lemon, plus juice, to finish
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Directions
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released some of their liquid and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Add the rice and cook until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of milk to the rice mixture and cook, stirring often, until mostly absorbed. Repeat this process with the rest of the milk and 1 cup of the broth or water until the rice is al dente, 15 to 18 minutes. Add a bit more as necessary.
  4. Stir in the chicken, parsley, lemon zest and reserved mushrooms. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of cheese.
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6 Reviews

Darian
Darian December 11, 2024
We loved this risotto! It was much creamier than other recipes using only stock. I did add a little heavy cream along with the milk to use up refrigerator inventory. I mixed the cream, milk, and stock together on the stovetop to be warmed before adding each ladleful to the rice. I agree with Tom V. that the chicken could have easily been excluded without impacting the overall dish very much.
 
E
E February 12, 2024
It's good!
 
paseo
paseo January 5, 2024
The recipe cals for shiitake mushrooms which have a more intense flavor (and are considerably more expensive), but the video shows her using creminis. Using either is obviously fine and the results somewhat different, but consistency would be helpful for some.
 
Tom V.
Tom V. December 20, 2023
Decided to give it a try because my mother loves mushrooms and every single one of Samantha's recipes I've tried has been excellent. Her tip about not overcooking the mushrooms was the key for me, as the dish had a very mushroom-forward flavor. The chicken was hard to detect and could easily be left out, making it vegetarian. Making a risotto using milk worked very well, though as a precaution I heated it before adding. I also add a bit of cream while cooking and lots of parmesan with the lemon and parsley. This is a great weeknight dish. Easy, tasty and quick.
 
Nancy M.
Nancy M. December 17, 2023
I made this because I had everything on hand, and it's pretty good. The lemon at the end is key, brightening it up. But I wonder - what is meant by "real milk"? Isn't it the same as "milk"?
 
Nicole D.
Nicole D. January 19, 2024
Hi Nancy! Dairy milk is what is meant by that so as to avoid confusion over other "milks." Glad you liked it.