Impress Your Guests with Pan Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
In the realm of comforting and delicious home cooking, a few dishes, like pan-braised chicken with mushrooms, capture the essence of warmth and satisfaction. This dish combines tender chicken thighs with the earthy richness of mushrooms, creating a savory medley that will please any palate.
The pan-braising technique infuses the chicken with deep, robust flavors and keeps it incredibly juicy, making every bite a delightful experience.
Whether hosting a family dinner or looking to impress guests with a simple yet elegant meal, pan-braised chicken with mushrooms fits the bill perfectly. The process is straightforward, requiring minimal ingredients while allowing the natural flavors to shine through. The mushrooms absorb the savory juices as the chicken cooks slowly in a flavorful broth, resulting in a rich sauce that complements the dish beautifully.
Join me as I dive into this recipe that showcases the art of pan-braising, transforming everyday ingredients into a mouthwatering masterpiece. With a few simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to serving up a hearty and satisfying meal that will leave everyone asking for seconds. Let’s get started!
Now, what is this? It’s pan roasting, and it’s braising, and it’s almost a fricassee, but it isn’t quite any of them!
Pan Braising
Pan braising is a cooking technique combining dry and moist heat to tenderize and enhance the flavors of meat, poultry, or vegetables. Here’s how it works:
- Searing: The process begins with searing the food (usually meat) in a hot pan with a small amount of fat, such as oil or butter. This initial step creates a caramelized crust that adds depth of flavor and enhances the dish’s overall taste.
- Deglazing: After searing, add aromatics (like onions or garlic) and sometimes a splash of liquid (such as broth, wine, or vinegar) to the pan. This process, known as deglazing, helps lift the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, which are packed with flavor.
- Braising: Once the aromatics are softened, add enough liquid to cover the food partially. The pan is then covered and simmered on low heat, either on the stovetop or in the oven. The gentle cooking allows the food to absorb the flavors of the liquid and become tender over time.
- Finishing: The dish is often finished by reducing the sauce to intensify the flavors or adding other ingredients, like vegetables or herbs.
Pan braising is an excellent method for tougher cuts of meat, as the slow cooking breaks down connective tissues, resulting in a tender and flavorful final product. It’s a versatile technique that can be adapted for various ingredients and flavors.
Pan Roasted Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- salt & pepper to taste
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- ¼ tablespoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely julienne
- ½ pepper red or yellow, finely julienne
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 cup mushrooms already sauteed
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon. fresh rosemary
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Very lightly dredge chicken parts (seasoned with salt, pepper, a bit of paprika, and, if you like, a bit of celery salt) in flour.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Brown chicken quickly on all sides and remove.
- Add garlic, onion, pepper, shallot, and sauté over medium heat until everything is limp and reduced. Do not brown!
- Add mushrooms, stir all of this together, and turn up the heat to high when it is all about the same consistency.
- Add white wine and reduce by half.
- Add chicken stock, fresh rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. (you may add a couple of tsp. of lemon zest if you like)
- Place chicken in a casserole on one layer, and pour the sauce all over the top of the chicken.
- Cover with foil and bake at 375º F for about 45 minutes.
- Turn the heat to 425º F, uncover, and bake to reduce sauce and slightly brown chicken.
- You can serve it this way, or if you want to do a fancy prep, you can remove the chicken and deglaze again and finish with a bit of butter, or even put it all into a blender and make a smooth sauce. I have even added cream, which is rich but very tasty. If you serve it out of the oven as is, it's rustic and has a nice texture.
