Roasted Miso Mushroom Chicken

Why make boring chicken when you can serve one packed with flavor? This roasted mushroom miso chicken is the perfect meal that does just that. Pair it with roasted furikake broccoli and toasted coconut rice for one outstanding meal.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are the main protein in this dish. They provide rich flavor and remain juicy when roasted, thanks to their higher fat content compared to chicken breasts.
• Dried porcini mushrooms: These add a concentrated, umami-rich flavor to the dish. When ground into a powder, they intensify the earthy, woodsy taste and aroma of the butter mixture spread under the chicken skin.
• White miso: Adds a sweet, mild flavor and umami depth to the dish. It complements the mushroom powder in the butter mixture, enhancing the overall savory profile of the chicken.
• Furikake: This Japanese seasoning, typically made of dried fish, seaweed, and sesame seeds, adds a complex flavor and texture to the roasted broccoli, providing a savory, slightly crunchy element to the side dish.
• Coconut oil: Used for toasting the rice, coconut oil imparts a subtle tropical flavor and aroma to the dish. It also has a high smoke point, making it suitable for the toasting process.
• Medium grain rice: This type of rice is ideal for this recipe as it becomes moist and slightly sticky when cooked, allowing it to absorb flavors well while maintaining some separation between grains. However, you can also use long-grain rice, adjusting the amount of liquid as necessary.
• Pomegranate arils: Add a burst of sweet-tart flavor and a pop of color to the rice dish. They provide a fresh, fruity contrast to the savory elements of the meal. If pomegranate isn't in season, omit them.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Try this recipe with pork tenderloin or rib eye roast, adjusting the cooking times accordingly.
• Vegetables: Replace broccoli with another vegetable such as roasted Brussels sprouts or sauteed snap peas.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make butter

The chicken itself is actually simple to make. All you have to do is make the seasoned butter and spread it on the chicken.

You can use chicken breast instead of the thigh but no matter what you use, make sure it still has the skin on. That way, you can spread the butter underneath the skin.

For the butter, use a food processor or spice grinder to pulse the dried porcini mushrooms into a fine powder. If you use a food processor, cover the opening on the top, or else the powder will spray everywhere.

Combine the dried mushroom powder with the softened butter, miso, chives, and garlic until well combined. You can also make the butter up to a week in advance.

Step 2: Prepare chicken

Loosen the skin from the chicken but don't remove it completely. Then, spread the butter under the skin, directly on the meat.

Roast the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear. If you use boneless chicken, adjust the time as necessary.

While the chicken is roasting, go ahead and roast the broccoli too. Toss the broccoli with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven and season it with lime juice and furikake.

Step 3: Cook rice

At the same time, make the toasted rice. Melt coconut oil in a medium pot and add the rice, stirring to coat every grain in the oil. Continue to heat the rice, toasting the grains until golden brown. This extra step will impart a lovely nutty flavor to the rice.

Add chicken broth to the pot, bring it to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Then, finish the rice by stirring in toasted almonds, scallions, lime zest, and pomegranate arils.

Serve the toasted rice with the roasted miso mushroom chicken and a side of furikake broccoli for a complete meal. You can omit the broccoli or rice but I highly suggest making all the components. They all complement each other so well!

If you're looking for more fantastic roasted chicken dishes flavored with miso, check out this roasted golden chicken with miso curry and curry spiced roasted chicken with apple miso sauce!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the miso mushroom butter and cut the broccoli ahead of time. The rice can also be partially cooked and finished just before serving.
• Store: Stored in an airtight container, leftovers should keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Frequently asked questions

More recipes featuring miso

Looking for more dishes that use miso? Try these:

Recipe

Print Recipe

Roasted Miso Mushroom Chicken

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Roasted chicken

• 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• ¼ cup butter softened
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• salt and pepper

Furikake broccoli

• 2 heads broccoli cut into florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• juice of ½ lime
• 2 tablespoons furikake

Toasted rice

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 cup medium grain rice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup toasted almonds
• ¼ cup pomegranate arils
• 2 scallions chopped
• 1 teaspoon lime zest

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a food processor or blender, pulse the dried porcini mushrooms until they turn into a fine powder. Combine the mushroom powder with softened butter, miso, garlic, and chives until well combined.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Loosen the skin and spread the miso mushroom butter underneath. You want most of the butter under the skin, directly on the flesh. Lay the chicken on a baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes or until the juices run clear.
• Roast the broccoli. Toss the broccoli florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the broccoli on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and season with lime juice. Sprinkle furikake on top and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, make toasted rice. Melt coconut oil in a medium saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains in the oil. Toast the rice until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season the rice with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has evaporated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the toasted almonds, pomegranate, chopped scallions, and lime zest.
• Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and serve with the roasted chicken and furikake broccoli.

Notes

You can make the miso mushroom butter up to 1 week in advance.