Craig Claiborne's Smothered Chicken With Mushrooms
- Total Time
- 1 hour 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1chicken, approximately 3½ pounds, butterflied (split down the backbone, breast left intact and unsplit)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½pound mushrooms, sliced, cut in half or quartered, depending on size
- 16very small white onions, about 1 pound, peeled and left whole
- 1bay leaf
- ¼teaspoon dried thyme
- ½cup dry white wine
- ½cup chicken broth, ideally home-made
- 2tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
913 calories; 58 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 22 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 62 grams protein; 1662 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Craig Claiborne believed a black iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up as for broiling. Fold the chicken wings under to hold them secure.
- Step 2
Melt half the butter in the pan and add the chicken skinside down. Cover the chicken firmly with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the pan. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on the top of the plate to weight it down. Cook over low heat, checking the skin side of the chicken, until it is nicely browned, approximately 25 minutes.
- Step 3
Remove weight and plate and weights. Pour off most of the fat from the pan and add the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Turn the chicken skin-side up.
- Step 4
Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken. Scatter the onions around it. Add the bay leaf, thyme, wine and chicken broth. Replace the plate and the weights and continue cooking over low heat about 45 minutes longer.
- Step 5
Remove the chicken to a warm platter. Spoon the mushrooms and onions around the chicken. Cook down the pan liquid until reduced by half. Pour this over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.
Private Notes
Comments
I just have to ask. Kindly. Just what part of the recipe did you actually cook?
Delicious. I used chicken thighs, cut-up onions, and wonderful mushrooms. I served it with mushroom ravioli and used the sauce over the ravioli and chicken. I thickened the sauce up, just a bit, with Wondra flour. Just delicious. I wish I could tell Craig Claiborne just how much I learned from him.
Craig Claiborne published this recipe when the 3 pound chickens called for in many NYTimes recipes actually existed. Alas, chickens sold in supermarkets today are commonly 5 pounds or more, so, as you have noted, cooking times need to be adjusted accordingly.
We made this with leg quarters, and we used a lot more chicken stock so that we could make gravy for the mashed potatoes that we also served. I will make this again as it was simply delicious - but I will cut the pearl onions in half next time. Truly a feast for the senses!
Whenever pearl onions are call for, I buy a jar of "Aunt Nellie's". Drain, rinse and sauté them in butter and add to the recipe. re:Craig Claiborne, many years ago.
I’m curious no one asked what heat setting to melt the butter before adding the chicken. Does anyone know?
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