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One-Pot Meal: Shiitake Braised Chicken

Shiitake Braised Chicken Thighs

Shiitake Braised Chicken Thighs. Fa-La-La-La-La! It’s December. I don’t care which of the December holidays you embrace – there’s stress in the air. Shopping. Gifting. Over-Eating. Partying. Celebrating. At least one night this month you’re gonna need a break and an easy meal that comes together without all that shopping, gifting, over-eating, partying, and celebrating. That meal (for me) comes in the form of a rustic one-pot dinner that can be served right out of the Dutch oven in which it was cooked. It’s one of those meals you’ll love because it’s simple.

You can’t screw up this shiitake braised chicken. You just can’t. I’d even go as far as saying braising is for dummies– extremely smart dummies. Because it’s the best cooking technique I know that requires absolutely no technique. No special skills. No innate knowledge. Heck, you don’t even need special or particularly particular ingredients. Although in this case, I hope you’ll seek out shiitake mushrooms (both fresh and dried).

Shiitake Mushroomsdried shiitake mushrooms

Shiitake Braised Chicken Thighs

Because with all that shopping, gifting, over-eating, partying, and celebrating you’re doing you might need a good excuse to walk down to your local farmers market. Shiitake mushrooms are in season and they have an earthy, savory quality that combines with stock, wine, and the meaty juices of chicken thighs. The result is rich and aromatic every time – no matter how much shopping, gifting, over-eating, partying, and celebrating you’ve got planned. GREG

Shiitake Braised Chicken Thighs

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms 

Print This Recipe Total time Yield 4–6Source Adapted from Naomi Pomeroy, Taste & TechniquePublished

If you can’t find shiitake powder you may simply give dried shiitake mushrooms a good long whirl in a food processor until ground into a fine powder (or other dried mushroom).

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 9 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
  • 3 cup thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushroom (caps only)
  • 3 cup roughly chopped onion (1 ½‑inch pieces)
  • 1 ½ cup sliced, peeled carrot (cut on the bias in 3‑inch pieces)
  • 1 ½ cup roughly chopped celery (cut on the bias in 2‑inch pieces)
  • 10 clove peeled garlic
  • 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (see note)
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 fresh bay leaves (or 4 dried)
  • 6–8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (dependng on size)
  • 2–3 tablespoon kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (divided)
  • 4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shiitake, onions, carrots, and celery and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables get some color. Add the garlic, shiitake powder, thyme, and bay leaves and mix to combine. Turn off the heat but leave the Dutch oven on the burner.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season each chicken thigh with ½ to 3/4 teaspoon salt (depending on its size; a large thigh will weigh about 10 ounces and a small one about 6 ounces) and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat a black steel pan over high heat until very hot. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and heat until the surface is rippling but not smoking. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add half of the chicken thighs, skin side down, and lower the heat slightly, to medium-high. Weight down the thighs with a heavy plate to create an even sear across the entire surface and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until evenly golden but not too dark in any spots. Check after the first 1 to 2 minutes to ensure no black spots are forming and lower the heat as needed. Place the thighs, skin side up, in a single layer in the Dutch oven and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken thighs, rinsing the pan and wiping it completely dry between batches.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock and wine to a simmer. Pour the stock mixture into the Dutch oven; the edges of the chicken should be submerged but the skin should be exposed. It’s important not to cover the chicken skin completely or it won’t get crisp.

Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid (or with aluminum foil if using a roasting pan), place in the oven, and cook for 1 ¼ hours, or until the chicken is completely tender. Turn up the oven temperature to 400°F, remove the cover, and continue to cook until the chicken skin is crisp, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven, discard the thyme sprigs as best you can, and serve directly from the pot or arrange attractively on a serving platter.

Shiitake Braised Chicken Thighs

 

 

 

 

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