Chicken & Mushroom Stew with Wild Rice

Time: 60 minutes

This is another dish Hubby made this week. He truly is a saint – he decided to use up what we had in the fridge and freezer, resulting in this absolutely delicious, healthy and fairly simple recipe. We have been having a very cold month (getting into the -30 deg C weather), so a hot hearty meal is so appreciated…

Music Selection: Louis Armstrong – When The Saints Go Marching In

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil

3 slices bacon, finely chopped

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

4 cups mushrooms, quartered

Salt/pepper

¼ cup white vinegar

2 carrots, chopped

½ large onion chopped (about 1 cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 bay leaves

3 Tbsp butter

¼ cup flour

1 cup whole milk

2 ½ cups chicken broth

½ tsp nutmeg, ground

½ tsp dry mustard

1 cup wild rice (or mixed red rice, brown rice, wild rice and quinoa)

Optional: parsley to garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 deg F.

Heat oil in large dutch oven. Add bacon and cook until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp oil to pot. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside with the bacon.

Add the remaining oil and mushrooms to the pot. Cook until just softened. Transfer to plate with chicken and bacon. Add the vinegar to deglaze the pot and cook until reduced by half, loosening any bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the carrot, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Cook stirring, until onion is softened. Remove from heat and add in the chicken, bacon, mushrooms and all juices on the plate.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter until bubbling. Add the flour, and whisk until flour is all coated in butter. Then whisk in the milk and cook until the sauce thickens. Whisk in the broth, nutmeg and mustard until it thickens. Salt/pepper to taste. Pour the gravy over the chicken and stir to combine. Cover the dutch oven and bake until the chicken is very tender – about 45 minutes.