Recipe of the day: Creamy mushroom and leek rice with crispy chicken

The combination of leeks, mushrooms, creamy cheese sauce, and thyme transforms the rice into dreamy comfort food.

Preparation time: 30 – 45 min

Serves: 4 people

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long grain parboiled rice
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp oil 
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, finely sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only 
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 150 g shimeji mushrooms (whole) or use baby button mushrooms
• 250 g brown mushrooms, sliced 
• 8 chicken thighs and drumsticks with skin 
• 1 Tbsp oil 
• salt and pepper to taste

For the cream sauce 

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour 
• 1 cup full-cream milk
• 1/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup dry white wine

To garnish 

• fresh thyme leaves 

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a baking tray with foil.
• Cook the rice according to instructions on the packet.
• In a pan, heat the butter and oil and sauté the onion, leeks, and thyme on a low heat until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl. 
• Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan and fry the mushrooms on high heat until golden.
• Place the chicken thighs on the foil-covered baking tray, cover with oil and salt and pepper, and bake for 30 minutes or longer, until cooked through and crispy. 

To make the creamy sauce: 

• Melt the butter on a low heat in a saucepan.
• Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk.
• Return to the heat and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes. 
• Add the cheese, cream, and wine, and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

In a large pan, mix the cooked rice, the onion and leeks, mushrooms, and cream sauce together and heat through.

Serve the chicken thighs and drumsticks on the creamy rice and garnish with the fresh thyme.

Recipe of the day:Creamy mushroom and leek rice with crispy chicken

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The combination of leeks, mushrooms, creamy cheese sauce, and thyme transforms the rice into dreamy comfort food. Serve it with other meat or vegetables, or eat it on its own.

• Author: Thami Kwazi

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 1/2 cups Spekko Long Grain Parboiled Rice
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 Tbsp oil
150 g shimeji mushrooms (whole) or use baby button mushrooms
250 g brown mushrooms, sliced
8 chicken thighs and drumsticks with skin
1 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper to taste

For the cream sauce
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup full-cream milk
1/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry white wine

To garnish
fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a baking tray with foil.

Cook the rice according to instructions on the packet.

In a pan, heat the butter and oil and sauté the onion, leeks, and thyme on a low heat until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan and fry the mushrooms on high heat until golden.

Place the chicken thighs on the foil-covered baking tray, cover with oil and salt and pepper, and bake for 30 minutes or longer, until cooked through and crispy.

To make the creamy sauce: Melt the butter on a low heat in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk. Return to the heat and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the cheese, cream, and wine, and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pan, mix the cooked rice, the onion and leeks, mushrooms, and cream sauce together and heat through.

Serve the chicken thighs and drumsticks on the creamy rice and garnish with the fresh thyme.