Braised Chicken Thighs with Morels and Ramps in a White Wine Cream Sauce

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs with bone and skin
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8-10 morel mushrooms
• bunch ramps, about a dozen, trimmed at each end and rough chopped
• 1 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup half and half or light cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour for dredging

Preparation

Step 1

Heat a large dutch oven over high heat.

Generously salt and pepper chicken thighs on both sides. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to heated dutch oven. When the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken to the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan. Allow chicken to brown for 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter.

Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter to the dutch oven. Add morels and ramps. Sautee for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sautee for an additional minute. Transfer vegetables to the chicken platter.

Increase heat to high and deglaze with white wine. Reduce to a strong simmer and allow wine to reduce by a third. Add chicke stock, thyme and marjoram. Return chicken and vegetables to braising vessel.

Place dutch oven in lower third of the oven. Braise for 90 minutes.

Remove chicken from the dutch oven, skim fat as needed with a large spoon, and add cream. Serve chicken with sauce over top.

I suggest serving this dish over egg noodles or parsley potatoes.