Sunday Braised Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
The comfort of a big platter brimming with hot crowd-pleasing food? It’s this dish in spades. Everything happens on the stove in one pan—this is where a large 14” pan will come in handy (I recommend All-Clad’s D5 Fry Pan) as its large surface area is perfect for family-sized meals. Juicy chicken thighs are enrobed in a creamy dreamy sauce studded with pancetta and mushrooms—a dish that any home cook will be proud to bring to the table and so perfect for not just Sunday supper but truly any day of the week.
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 ounces diced pancetta
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus more sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2¾ cups chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon capers, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Crusty bread, rice or egg noodles, for serving
METHOD
Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a large All-Clad pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Once the oil and butter is bubbling, place the chicken, skin side down in the pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until the skin is crispy and golden. Set aside.
Add the pancetta to the pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is just translucent—approximately 5 minutes—then add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are just starting to release their juices. Season with salt and pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon flour and cook—stirring to combined—for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and Dijon mustard to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate any fond—simmer until wine has evaporated—about 2 minutes.
Return chicken to the pan skin side up, nestling it around the mushrooms. Pour in the stock, ensuring to pour around the chicken. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook-uncovered—for approximately 30 to 35 minutes or until the chicken registers 165F on a digital meat thermometer.
Remove the pan from the heat, then transfer chicken to a plate. To the remaining sauce, add heavy cream and capers and stir until well combined and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, pour sauce onto a platter or shallow bowl, arrange chicken atop, garnish with thyme leaves, finish with flaky sea salt and serve with crusty bread, rice or egg noodles alongside.