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Heat a deep 12-inch skillet or a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then melt the butter. Season the chicken quarters with pepper and slip them into the pan skin side down. Cook until golden, about 5 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure they haven’t stuck.

Turn the quarters. Sprinkle the shallots and garlic among them. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Pour in the wine or vermouth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits under the chicken pieces. Simmer until the vermouth or wine has been reduced to a glaze, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the rice, making sure that no grains are stuck on top of the chicken but that they’re evenly distributed in the pan. Take the mushrooms out of their liquid and sprinkle them in the pan, pressing them down among the chicken pieces. Strain the mushroom liquid into the pan through a fine-mesh sieve (to catch any sand or grit), pouring the liquid over the chicken to catch any rice grains and wash them to the bottom. Tuck in the bay leaves.

Shake the pan to distribute everything evenly and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly until the rice is tender and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F (our preference) or 180°F (the USDA recommendation), 15 to 20 minutes. If you find that the pan is drying out during the last few minutes of cooking, add more wine in ¼-cup increments and lower the heat further; if there’s too much liquid in the pan, uncover it during the last few minutes of cooking so that there’s just a light sauce with the rice in the pan. Season with salt before serving.

Variations: Add 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon leaves or 2 teaspoons stemmed thyme with the wine or vermouth.

Substitute red wine for the white wine; if you do, use 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, omitting the olive oil.

For an Italian taste, use dry Marsala instead of the white wine.

For a Spanish-influenced dish, substitute dry sherry for the white wine. Also add ¼ teaspoon saffron to the dried mushrooms before adding the boiling water. Top the dish with 1 cup fresh or frozen peas before covering and cooking the rice.

Persian-Inspired Chicken and Walnuts

This classic is made with tart pomegranate molasses and earthy walnuts. Serve with basmati, Texmati, or red rice on the side. Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 pounds bone-in skin-on or skinless chicken thighs

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1¼ cups finely chopped walnut pieces

2 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

Position the rack in the oven so a large pot or a Dutch oven can fit comfortably in it. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven, large pot, or oven casserole. Season the chicken with cinnamon and pepper; slip the thighs into the pan. Cook until browned on both sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes, Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the walnuts and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the broth, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, and then stir in the pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, and lemon juice. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then return the thighs and any accumulated juices to the pan.

Cover and bake until the meat is quite tender and the sauce is bubbling, stirring once in a while, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Season with salt and let stand at room temperature, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations: Substitute 3 medium shallots, chopped, for the onion.

Add 3 garlic cloves, minced, with the walnuts.

For a curried variation, add 2 teaspoons curry powder with the broth, then substitute 2 tablespoons tamarind paste for the pomegranate molasses.