Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Leeks

My winter CSA gave me some beautiful leeks, garlic and a chicken.  I wanted to use these ingredients in a hearty dish that would warm me up in the frigid Long Island winter we are having.  I cut up my own chicken but you can buy a cut up chicken or ask the butcher to do it for you.  You want the chicken cut into 10 pieces if you can because it cuts the chicken breasts into 4 pieces, which makes them cook evenly with the rest of the chicken.  Also, save the back for chicken stock later.  I made a double batch because I had a lot of people over for dinner, so this recipe doubles easily but cooks in the same time.  Serve with some mashed potatoes or egg noodles to soak up the delicious sauce.  

Makes dinner for 4

 

Ingredients:

1 chicken cut into 10 pieces

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp thyme

2 TBS olive oil, divided 

1 shallot, small diced

1 cup leeks, cleaned and sliced

8 oz sliced mushrooms, white or baby Bellas

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup white wine

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp thyme

2 cups chicken stock, homemade preferred

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Here's how:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a Dutch oven on medium heat on the cooktop.

In a small bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and thyme.

Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and set aside.  

Add 1 TBS oil to the oven and heat until it glistens.

Brown the chicken on both sides in batches.  Do not crowd the pan, you want the chicken browned, about 4 minutes per side.   Add oil to the pan, if needed as you go.

Set the chicken aside.

Add 1 TBS oil to the Dutch oven and heat until it glistens.

Add the shallots, leeks and mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the wine scrape the bottom of the pan to get up the brown bits.

Reduce the wine by half, about 5 minutes.

Add the bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste.

Nestlé the chicken in the liquid in the pot.  

Cover and place the Dutch oven in the oven for 1 and a half hours.

Remove the lid and cook for 15 more minutes.

Remove the chicken and set it aside.  Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Place the Dutch oven on the stove and cook over medium heat until the sauce is thick, about 7-9 minutes.  Turn off the heat.

Add the cream and stir to combine.

Add the chicken back into the cream sauce.

Serve.