Braised Chicken & Mushrooms

The weather here has been absurdly chilly by southern California standards, with the only upside being the soups, stews, and braises I’ve been making to warm us up. This chicken is a great option since it’s super comforting but doesn’t take as long to cook as some other tougher cuts of meat. The mushroom gravy is richly flavorful but surprisingly light, and the chicken stays juicy and has a wonderful tenderness. I like to brighten things up with simple arugula and lemon salad and some crusty baguette for mopping up extra sauce. Leftovers reheat well on the stove the next day, and make your whole house smell delicious and inviting.

Braised Chicken & Mushrooms:

• Heat 1/4 c. olive oil in a large dutch oven over high heat.
• Meanwhile, season 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with salt and pepper and lightly coat with all-purpose flour.
• Place chicken, skin-side down, in the pot and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, or until darkly golden brown.*
• Remove chicken and place on a plate, then add in 12 oz. cremini mushrooms, 4-5 whole garlic gloves, and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.
• Cook mushrooms for 5-7 minutes, or until browned, then add in 1/8 c. dry sherry and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add in 1 c. white wine, 1 c. chicken stock, a large pinch of salt and pepper, and add chicken (skin-side up) back to the pot.**
• Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover with a lid and move to a 325F oven.
• Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, then move chicken to a clean plate.
• Discard the thyme stems, and heat chicken braising liquid over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, mash together 1 1/2 tbsp. room-temperature butter and 1/8 c. all-purpose flour into a paste.
• Add the butter mixture to the sauce and stir to thicken.
• Cook sauce for 5 minutes, or until desired thickness, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Return chicken to the pot to heat through, then divide onto plate and serve.

Serves four-five

*Don't crowd your pan or the chicken won't brown. You may need to brown chicken in batches.

**The chicken might not be entirely covered with liquid, which is fine.