Recipe Background
This isn't just any chicken bake. This is The Chicken Bake. Definitive article! Succulent, savory chicken thighs braised in a bright and beautiful white wine chicken sauce infused with the beefy flavor of mushrooms and the salty goodness of bacon... it's just a dream of a dinner. Fragrant, flavorful, and elegant, The Chicken Bake will make you rethink what a casserole can do!
This isn't just any chicken bake. This is The Chicken Bake. Definitive article! Succulent, savory chicken thighs braised in a bright and beautiful white wine chicken sauce infused with the beefy flavor of mushrooms and the salty goodness of bacon... it's just a dream of a dinner. Fragrant, flavorful, and elegant, The Chicken Bake will make you rethink what a casserole can do!
Ingredients
For the bake:
- 8 chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 8 strips smoked streaky bacon diced
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 7 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or mixed herbs
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock hot
- 4 fresh sage leaves or small sage sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup full-fat crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum can substitute 2 teaspoons corn flour diluted with a small amount of cold water, optional
For the optional fried sage:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- large fresh sage leaves to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Season the chicken with the salt and the pepper.
- Heat the oil over high heat in an oven-safe skillet until simmering.
- Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and drain the skillet.
- Pan-fry the bacon in the same skillet over medium heat until it starts to render its fat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the onion and the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions soften and the bacon starts to become crispy on the edges, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms, the salt, the pepper, and the thyme and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are browned, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the white wine, the chicken stock, 4 of the fresh sage leaves, and the bay leaves.
- Add the chicken thighs back into the skillet.
- Bring the mixture to a low simmer.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F internally, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the crème fraîche.
- If the sauce needs thickening, sprinkle with the xanthan gum and simmer for 1 minute.
- Heat the butter in a pan until it is melted.
- Pan-fry the remaining sage leaves until crispy, about 2 minutes.
- Drain the sage leaves on paper towels.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves from the bake.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust with more of the salt and the pepper as needed.
- Top with the crispy sage leaves and serve.
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