🍄 On the Hunt: Rustic Chicken & Mushroom Braise (Cacciatore-Style)

Inspired by the Joy of Cooking, I post this recipe for my mushroom-loving friends, one of them collects from the Merry Mushroom series and another has been to a mushroom convention. Delicious, unpretentious, and comforting when it's cold outside–it warms you up. What I love about this recipe is the flexibility in the type of mushrooms you use–have you been foraging lately?

Servings | 4 generous servings | Prep Time | 15 minutes |

| Cook Time | 75 to 90 minutes |

| Total Time | 90 to 105 minutes |

🍽️ Ingredients (The List)

9 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Flour and black pepper for dredging

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salted butter

About 4 to 4.5 cups mixed mushrooms (oyster, cremini, shiitake), sliced

3 shallots, brunoised

½ teaspoon salt

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup white wine

1 liter chicken stock

1 teaspoon ground dry marjoram

4 sprigs fresh thyme plus 4 more leaves only

15 leaves fresh basil

3 tablespoons brandy

Salt to taste

More fresh thyme for garnish

Broad egg noodles, for serving

🔪 Instructions

Prepare and Brown the Chicken (Approx. 15 minutes)

Pat the chicken thighs completely dry.

Mix the flour and black pepper on a plate. Dredge each chicken thigh in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Once the butter foams, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden brown and crisp.

Flip the chicken and brown the other side for 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sauté Mushrooms and Build the Base (Approx. 15 minutes)

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallots and sliced mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid and are nicely browned.

Stir in the 1/4 cup of tomato paste and the ground dry marjoram. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.

Deglaze the pot by pouring in the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, about 3 minutes.

Braise and Finish (Approx. 60-75 minutes)

Return the browned chicken thighs (and any accumulated juices) to the pot.

Pour in the 1 ext{ liter} of chicken stock. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the chicken.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.

Braise for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, nestle the 5 fresh thyme sprigs among the chicken pieces.

Continue to simmer, covered, for another 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.

Remove the chicken and thyme sprigs from the pot. Increase the heat under the sauce to reduce it slightly, if desired, to achieve your preferred thickness.

Stir in the 3 tablespoons of brandy and the 15 fresh basil leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt as needed.

Return the chicken to the pot to warm through.

Serve

Serve the chicken and mushroom braise over a generous bed of broad egg noodles.

Spoon the rich sauce and mushrooms over the top.

Garnish with more fresh thyme.