My first recipe from Jacques Pépin's new cookbook "Heart & Soul in the Kitchen" is a winner. Chicken thighs in a flavorful, creamy sauce with mushrooms – a quick and easy dish to prepare even for a weeknight dinner! I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs but bone-in skinless thighs would work very well also. The original recipe calls for 3/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper, but I used 1/2 tsp. each. It also calls for garnishing with tarragon but I didn't have any so I used chopped celery leaves instead. Serves 4.
Recipe
2 T. butter
6 chicken thighs, skin removed
8 mushrooms, washed and sliced (I used baby portobellos)
1-1/2 T. flour
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 T. coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
Melt butter in a large saucepan over high heat, immediately add chicken thighs and brown for about 2-1/2 minutes on each side. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle on the flour, and turn the chicken so the flour is evenly distributed. Stir in the wine and water and mix well. Bring to a boil and add the salt and pepper; cover, reduce the heat, and cook at a low simmer for 25 minutes.
Add the cream, bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with the fresh tarragon.
– Jacques Pépin, "Heart & Soul in the Kitchen"