Chicken Fricassee with White Rice

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Rinse the mushrooms, onion and thyme under running water and dry them. Trim the mushroom stems and slice the mushrooms 1/4 inch thick. Peel and dice the onion. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain thoroughly.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels without rinsing it. Season all sides with the measured 3/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Wash your hands and clean any surfaces that have touched the raw chicken.

Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Place the thighs skin-side down in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 7–9 minutes, until golden brown and the skin releases readily from the pan. Turn and brown the second side for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; the chicken will still be undercooked.

Spoon off excess fat, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their released moisture has mostly evaporated and they begin to brown. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and the measured 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.

Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with the wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the wine has reduced by about half. Stir in the chicken broth and thyme.

About 10 minutes into the braise, combine the drained rice, 3 cups water and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 18–20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Keep covered until serving.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Heat gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon; do not let it boil vigorously. Return the chicken and its collected juices to the skillet and warm gently for 2 minutes. The finished sauce should be pourable rather than thick like gravy.