And yes, another braised chicken recipe. Because in my book, you simply can’t have too many recipes for oven braised chicken. Especially really good recipes for braised chicken! And yup, this is one of the good ones.

So why chicken? First of all, chicken is one of the leaner animal proteins. And it can be found in many ethnic cuisines. And it takes to spices and sauces with ultimate adaptability. In other words, it pairs with just about any herb, spice, or sauce you can name. Chicken is delicious baked, boiled, or fried. Which makes it a very versatile ingredient. Plus it’s readily available. And, I love chicken. Which is ultimately the real reason I use chicken in many of my recipes.

So the other evening I was on another one of my “I need comfort food for dinner” kicks. Plus I still had a couple of whole chickens in my dying freezer. (Only about a quarter of our freezer is still actually keeping food frozen. And yes, we have a new freezer ordered. But good luck finding a new upright “manual” (not frost free) freezer during this pandemic. We have had one on order now for about 6 months. No kidding!)

Anyway, with a terminal freezer and comfort food in mind, I came up with this recipe. I paired this dish with Simple Steamed Brown Rice (see recipe below) and steamed green beans, and we were both delighted with the results.

So if you too are in the mood for a savory and creamy, calorie laden comfort dish to serve your family, by all means prepare this recipe. It is just a simple way to treat yourself and your family. But remember – moderation in all things. So this is definitely not an everyday chicken recipe. This is a rich, full bodied, in your face, creamy comfort food dish. And serving a dish like this once in a while is not a sin. At least to my way of thinking it’s not a sin. What would constitute a sin, and also a shame, would be to never allow yourself or your family the pleasure of tasting a dish like this. That would just be wrong.

So step away from that low fat chicken recipe you were considering, and come on over to the dark side. I promise you will enjoy the experience. And yes, you can immediately go back to more healthy ways of cooking chicken. But for one glorious moment in time, let the cream sauce rule.

As always, have fun in your kitchen, try new and exciting recipes, and look for all the joy that life has to offer. Remember, what we are living through every day is not the dress rehearsal for our lives. This is the main show. The only show. So please don’t live for when the pandemic is over. Or for when you get that better job. Or for when you lose those extra few pounds. Just live each and every day with all the gusto you can muster. Peace and love to all.  

1 3-4 lb. whole chicken fryer

⅓ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. unsalted butter

2 lg. shallots, thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary, or more to taste

1¼ c. chicken broth

¾ c. dry white wine

2 tsp. Dijon mustard  

1 T. unbleached all-purpose flour (if all the seasoned flour is used)

1 c. whole milk

¼ c. heavy cream  

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces – 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 breasts – each cut in half. (I leave some of the skin on the chicken pieces, but remove as much of the chicken fat as possible. I freeze the wings and backs to make chicken stock at a later time.)   

Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Whisk the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper together in a shallow pan. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour mixture until well coated. Shake off excess flour. Save any remaining flour.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a lidded cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat. (I use my shallow lidded Le Creuset Cast Iron Braiser pan for this recipe.) Fry the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove chicken from skillet and place on a plate. (The chicken doesn’t have to be completely done at this point.)

Add the shallots to the skillet; sauté until just starting to soften. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Add the chopped fresh rosemary. Add the chicken stock, white wine, and Dijon mustard to the pan. Stir until all of the brown bits are lifted off the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the partially cooked chicken, along with any juices, back into the pan, skin side up. Bring the liquid to a boil.

Cover the pan, and allow the chicken to braise in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 60 minutes, or until the meat is fork tender. Turn the chicken after 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer chicken to a plate.

If there is a tablespoon of seasoned flour left, add to the pan. If not, add enough regular flour to make up a tablespoon. Over low heat, whisk the flour into the brown bits at the bottom of the pan until well combined. Slowly add the whole milk and heavy cream to the pan. Bring the gravy to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking the whole time, until a lovely silky gravy is achieved. Taste and adjust seasoning. (The gravy will probably need a bit more salt and pepper.) Return the chicken to the pan.

When ready to serve, sprinkle with parsley, and serve the chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes, rice (brown*, white, or mixed), or buttered noodles.

*Simple Steamed Brown Rice

1 c. brown rice

1¾ c. water

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

Dump all in your rice cooker. Stir. Put on GO. Walk away for about an hour.