Although we rarely eat meat or poultry anymore, I must admit that I do crave chicken from time to time. I would be quite comfortable never eating red meat again, but about once a month I like to prepare a chicken dish of some type. We recently had our niece visiting from Canada, and I decided to pull out a recipe from my files that I haven’t made in years.
I used to be a white meat poultry person, and rarely chose thighs or legs. Over the years however, I have discovered that not only are chicken thighs less expensive than the breast of the chicken, they are much moister and in my opinion more flavorful as well.
This recipe uses only the thighs of the chicken, but if you prefer, you could use a combination of breasts, thighs and legs. I like to prepare two medium thighs per person, which is plenty when served with a couple of side dishes. I have prepared this dish both with skinless thighs as well as with the skin on and it works well either way. You could also use boneless thighs if you prefer, although I usually cook with bone in thighs.
For this dish, I roast the thighs separately until they are fully cooked and golden brown, and then I simmer them in the sauce on top of the stove for a few minutes. The sauce is rich and creamy with just a subtle hint of Dijon mustard. Although this is an easy dish that can be assembled on a busy weeknight, it is also elegant enough to serve to guests.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah MeleÂ
Ingredients
- 8 Medium Chicken Thighs
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
For The Sauce:
- 2 Ounces Pancetta, Diced
- 1/3 Cup Finely Diced Onion
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 1 Cup Dry White Wine
- 1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 1/2 Cup Mascarpone Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Season the thighs with salt, pepper, and oregano and roast in the oven until golden brown, or until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.
- While the chicken thighs are roasting, cook the pancetta over medium heat in a large skillet until light golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onions, and continue to cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and cook another minute or two until fragrant.
- Add the wine, and raise the heat, and stir to deglaze the pan and reduce the wine by half.
- Add the chicken broth, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the mascarpone, and taste, adjusting seasonings as needed.
- Keep sauce warm.
- Place the roasted chicken thighs in the sauce, and spoon the sauce over to coat well.
- Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, then place the chicken on a platter.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken, and serve immediately.