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 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
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).
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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This looks really good. Your ingredients list doesn’t include the stock or the quantity though.
Thanks. Omission corrected. 4 cups. XOGREG
Dude.…that looks perfect. And the shot of it deconstructed with the chicken in the spoon — that’s great talent, Greg. But of course, we already knew that you are gifted.
This sounds delicious, Greg. And we do indeed need simple dished this time of year!
I love chicken thighs and shiitake mushrooms. Your recipe looks delicious.
I have been looking for a reason to use my dried shiitakes in my pantry and this is perfect.
What a gorgeous idea. I’m making this tonight, G!
Rustic, rich, flavorful… These are a few of my favorite things! Love the use of fresh *and* dried Shiitake mushrooms. This sounds like the most perfect cold weather dish!
P.S… I made this a few weeks ago and we absolutely loved everything about it! In fact, I think we need to put it on our dinner menu again this week. Thanks for another great recipe!
What a lovely bunch of ingredients! Dried mushrooms add so much flavor!
Greg, this looks like the perfect one pot meal, I just love braised chicken and the combo with the shiitake mushrooms must have made your place smell heavenly as it baked. I wonder if you could turn the first part of the braising into a slow cooker recipe and finish it off in the oven to crisp up the skin. I just love coming home and it smells like someone was cooking all day! It’s the perfect end to a busy, stressful day.
I’m sure that would work beautifully. GREG
Greg, this looks wonderful ! I do so look forward to your offerings.
I know I’ve mentioned several times my adoration for a specific recipe, but I did want to say that your Sweet Sausage, Kale and Apple Pie has become one of my “most requested” at dinner parties, so it’s worth saying it again for anyone who hasn’t tried it, as yet.
As always, I thank you ! http://www.sippitysup.com/sweet-sausage-kale-pie-apple-raisin/
Looks just perfect, Greg — I might even have a decade-old bag of dried shiitakes in the cupboard. The drier the better, right?