Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

It was time to have chicken (not legs) for dinner, so I chose to make Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce.

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the mushroom sauce

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups half and half
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Place chicken, skin-side up, in a single layer into the prepared baking dish. Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes. Drain excess fat.
5. To make the mushroom sauce, melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 5-6 minutes.
6. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in half and half, thyme, basil and crushed red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Serve chicken immediately with mushroom sauce, garnished with parsley, if desired.

I am surprised to say that Tom actually liked it. He smelled the sauce, turned his nose up at it, I asked him to at least try it, he did and he liked it. He, of course, pulled out the mushrooms, but said he doesn't mind the flavor of mushrooms, just the texture. I, of course, liked it.