Tender Chicken Morsels in Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce

Serves 12

Although the ingredient list looks daunting, this dish is very easy to make - and tastes wonderful reheated over polenta.

ingredients

For the chicken:
18 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 tablespoon minced sage
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the mushrooms:
1 pound mixed wild mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini, chanterelles), rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 tablespoon minced sage
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry Marsala or white wine
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

directions

1
Make the chicken: Place the chicken in a roasting pan in a single layer and season on all sides with the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, and pepper. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
2
When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 degrees(preferably set on convection bake). Toss the marinated chicken with the salt and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until browned. Pour out any cooking juices into a bowl and reserve; you should have about 1 cup (if needed, pour the cooking juices through a fat separator and discard fat).
3
Meanwhile, make the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (set on convection bake if possible). Toss all the ingredients in a roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and there is no liquid left in the roasting pan.
4
Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy 14-inch saute pan with a tight-fitting lid over a medium-high flame. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and cook 10 minutes, or until the onions soften and brown lightly. Add the flour and cook until well-incorporated in the onion mixture, about 2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and Marsala. Cook 2 minutes, or until the Marsala reduces to a glaze. Add the reserved cooking juices from the roasted chicken and the broth, and bring to a boil. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle boil.
5
Pour the sauce over the chicken in the roasting pan. Fold in the roasted mushrooms. Return to the oven and roast uncovered another 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender and the sauce is somewhat reduced. Adjust the salt and pepper, and serve hot.