Chicken Chasseur - The Secret Recipe Club (#SRC)

I think chicken is a Mom's best friend. Easy to prepare and inexpensive to purchase, freeze and have on hand. Even the pickiest of eaters go for chicken. A fabulous protein-chameleon, serve it simple or dressed up and a chicken dinner is always a winner.

I confess to usually going the easy route. I tend to grab the skinless, boneless chicken breasts at our local Costco. Usually a large pack of 16 costs around $20. Have you noticed the difference in price between cuts? As the basic grocery bill keeps climbing, buying simple bone-in, skin on thighs can cut my meat bill in half. Yes, for 20 thighs I payed under $10. I have also noticed the thighs are closer to a single serving, making them a better choice for our family.

This month for the Secret Recipe Club I was assigned to The Bad Girl's Kitchen. This site is so much fun and filled with great recipes for all tastes. The site is collaboration with several people all posting great recipes to share in a public forum. I found about 10 I wanted to make the first night. But, since I don't have that much time... I decided to go with a fabulous sounding chicken dish, Chicken Chasseur. Be sure to check out the original recipe, the site and share a little Secret Recipe Club love!

So, why was I drawn to this recipe? Simple ingredients and a sauce that isn't full of cream or butter. Okay, a little butter... but a nice dry white wine, mushrooms and tomatoes give this a rustic and lovely earthy flavor. The only change I made was to add a touch of cornstarch to thicken the sauce so it went perfectly over my mashed potatoes. Even my husband who isn't a huge mushroom fan was happy with this meal.

None of the simple ingredients in this dish will bust the budget, in fact I picked up the Pinot Grigio at our Trader Joe's for under $3 (2 buck chuck and some change!). 

Button mushrooms, an onion, garlic and canned tomatoes make this a simple meal that could be enjoyed anytime of year. But here is the description from The Bad Girl's Kitchen:

Chicken Chasseur
A French classic that never seems to go out of style, this dish combines mushrooms and chicken in a tomato and white wine sauce. The name, literally "hunter's chicken," harks back to a time when game birds and mushrooms from the woods were a natural autumn combination. Prep time: 6 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Serves 4

Chicken Chasseur
adapted from The Bad Girl's Kitchen, originally from Food & Wine Quick from Scratch Chicken Cookbook

You Will Need:

• 1 Tbsp. oil - I used olive oil
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper, divided
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp. flour
• 6 Tbsp. dry white wine
• 2/3 c. chicken stock
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• Italian parsley, chopped for garnish
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch * optional

Start by browning your chicken thighs in the 1 Tbsp. oil. Season thighs with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper on both sides and let them brown on both sides over medium high heat. Set the thighs aside to drain as you prepare the sauce.

Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. fat from the pan. Add the butter and reduce the heat to low-medium. Sweat down the onions and increase the heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and 1/4 tsp. salt. Continue to soften the vegetables for another couple minutes. They should start to turn golden brown.

Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Be sure to keep stirring so it doesn't burn.

Add the wine and stir well. Then add the stock, tomatoes, thyme and remaining salt. Add the chicken and any juices from the plate. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Check the thighs near the bone with a digital thermometer.

I chose to remove the chicken for plating and then added a Tbsp. of cornstarch mixed with water and then whisked into the sauce to form more of a gravy. Plate the chicken, top with sauce and sprinkle generously with the chopped parsley for an added pop of color and flavor.

Enjoy!