I stole this recipe for Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Tomatoes from a cookbook called Cook It In Your Dutch Oven. Braising in a Dutch oven is the secret for this moist chicken recipe. Chicken is browned first in a Dutch oven. Then onions, mushrooms and garlic cook with seasonings before flour and chicken broth is added. Canned diced tomatoes are added in before baking in the oven. As the chicken cooks in the vegetables and broth the flavors absorb in the chicken and make the chicken moist and tender.

Did you know? The term “Dutch oven” refers to an American pot of European ancestry, it has been valued for its combination of steaming, baking, stewing and braising. Eighteenth-century American Dutch ovens were designed for the hearth, where they were heated with glowing embers.⁵ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 F. Pat 8 chicken thighs (or use 4 chicken breasts, cut in half) dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Brown chicken, 5-6 minutes per side. Then transfer to plate.

Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat from pot. Add 1 chopped onion, 6 oz chopped mushrooms and ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes.

Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tsp thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then stir in 1 ½ tbsp flour and cook 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in 1 ½ cup dry red wine, scraping up any brown bits and smoothing out any lumps. Next, stir in ½ cup chicken broth and 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes.

Then bring mixture to a simmer. Nestle reserved chicken into pot.

Cover the pot and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken registers 195 F, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove pot from oven and transfer chicken to serving platter.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

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Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Braising is the secret for this moist chicken recipe. Chicken is browned first in a Dutch oven. Then onions, mushrooms and garlic cook with seasonings before flour and chicken broth is added. Canned diced tomatoes are added in before baking in the oven. As the chicken cooks in the vegetables and broth the flavors absorb in the chicken and make the chicken moist and tender.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 8 5-7 oz bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 6 oz Portobello mushrooms caps cut into ¾ inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
• 1 ½ tbsp AP flour
• 1 ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes drained
• 1 parmesan cheese rind optional
• 2 tsp minced fresh sage

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 F. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown thighs, 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and discard skin.
2. Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat from pot. Add onion, mushrooms and ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any brown bits and smoothing out any lumps.
3. Stir in broth, tomatoes and parmesan rind, if using, and bring to a simmer. Nestle chicken into pot, adding any accumulated juices, cover and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken registers 195 F, 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Remove pot from oven and transfer chicken to serving platter. Discard cheese rind, if using. Stir sage into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Recipe Notes

I substitute chicken breasts and use any mushrooms I have on hand.