Thyme for a One Pan Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet

It’s high Thyme for a One Pan Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet, don’t you think? So much flavor and such a comforting texture in this easy one pot meal!

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Who else loves an easy one pan recipe?! Are you guys all with me here? If so, I think it’s high THYME for an easy yet super flavorful One Pan Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet.

We’ve done skillet chicken and rice here before (see, for instance, this curried chicken & cauliflower skillet or these chicken burrito bowls), but this week I was looking at a pack of clearance chicken tenders I’d pulled out of the freezer plus a pack of mushrooms that needed to be used up. The combination made me feel risotto-ish, but I wasn’t really feeling anything that labor-intensive (and have been using a lot of Parmesan lately…).

That’s why this week’s one pan chicken mushroom rice skillet brings in some risotto-type flavors — but without all of the work. Is it exactly the same texture as risotto? No. Is it darn tasty? Yes! The browned butter here adds an underlying nutty richness, while the thyme brings out the umami flavor of the mushrooms. Do not skip the browned butter: It’s integral to the flavor of the finished dish.

Chicken’s been on sale lately (and plain old long grain white rice is always affordable), making this one pan chicken mushroom rice skillet your dish for this week’s Sunday Scratchups, your weekly recipe from scratch around grocery sales and affordable ingredients.

Thyme for a One Pan Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lbs chicken tenderloin, or use thin sliced chicken breast (cut into strips)
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about six cloves)
1/4 of a medium yellow onion, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup long grain white rice

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Trim chicken and season it on both sides with sea salt and pepper to taste, then add the chicken to the pan and brown it for about two minutes per side. Remove chicken to a separate plate. (It will not be cooked through; it cooks the rest of the way later with the rice. Using tongs will make the chicken easier to flip.)

Add butter to the hot pan. Continue cooking butter by itself for about two minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown and starts to smell a little nutty — being careful not to burn it.

Add onion and saute for two minutes, then add garlic and saute for another minute.

Add in your mushrooms, season them with thyme and parsley, and continue sauteing for five minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften and brown, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice and chicken broth, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and bring everything to a quick boil.

Once it begins boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken back into the pan on top of the mushrooms and rice. Cover skillet and let everything simmer for 25 minutes, or until rice has absorbed most of the liquid and chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Turn off heat and stir your rice, then replace the lid and let the pan sit covered off the heat for another five minutes to thicken up a little more. Serve hot.

Note: Garnish your chicken mushroom rice skillet with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, if you have them on hand — I did not, so just added a bit more dried parsley on top of the finished rice for contrast.

Comfort food in a skillet

I just used plain old affordable white mushrooms here, but look how beautiful they are when you saute them up in the browned butter and garlic — and cooking the rice in the skillet with the broth, browned butter, and mushrooms makes it extra creamy and flavorful.

This savory “thyme for a one pan chicken mushroom rice skillet” is both filling and naturally gluten free. Just add a green veggie on the side (spinach or broccoli would be great choices here) for an easy complete meal.

Thyme for a One Pan Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet, printable recipe

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Thyme for a One Pan Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet

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The browned butter here adds an underlying nutty richness, while the thyme brings out the umami flavor of the mushrooms. Do not skip the browned butter: It’s integral to the flavor of the finished dish.

Course dinner

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Rachel Singer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs chicken tenderloin, or use thin sliced chicken breast (cut into strips)
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (about six cloves)
• 1/4 of a medium yellow onion, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp parsley
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup long grain white rice

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Trim chicken and season it on both sides with sea salt and pepper to taste, then add the chicken to the pan and brown it for about two minutes per side. Remove chicken to a separate plate. (It will not be cooked through; it cooks the rest of the way later with the rice. Using tongs will make the chicken easier to flip.)
• Add butter to the hot pan. Continue cooking butter by itself for about two minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown and starts to smell a little nutty — being careful not to burn it.
• Add onion and saute for two minutes, then add garlic and saute for another minute.
• Add in your mushrooms, season them with thyme and parsley, and continue sauteing for five minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften and brown, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in rice and chicken broth, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and bring everything to a quick boil.
• Once it begins boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken back into the pan on top of the mushrooms and rice. Cover skillet and let everything simmer for 25 minutes, or until rice has absorbed most of the liquid and chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
• Turn off heat and stir your rice, then replace the lid and let the pan sit covered off the heat for another five minutes to thicken up a little more. Serve hot.

Notes

Garnish your chicken mushroom rice skillet with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, if you have them on hand — I did not, so just added a bit more dried parsley on top of the finished rice for contrast.

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