This feast is your ticket to Umami City. This is a fusion feast, as if it were cooked by two lovers, a lady chef from the South of France, bringing her thyme, cream, bacon, duck fat, Dijon mustard, butter and Chardonnay… and her chef lover from Tuscany, with his Porcini powder, Marsala, olive oil and garlic. It’s a magical dish for all lovers.

Give it a whirl, we promise one of the best chicken meals of your life. This recipe is for four to five folks, if it’s just the two of you, reduce the ingredients by half.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
6 to 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
1 pound brown cremini or porcini mushrooms, cut into thick slices 2 – 4 shallots (depending on size) or 1 large onion, minced
4 – 5 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup chardonnay
1/2 cup Marsala (or Sherry)
1/2 cup chicken broth (bone broth)
1 1/2 cups cream
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 oz butter
1 tablespoon duck fat (optional but wonderful umami flavor)
4 strips bacon, fried and chopped
20 thyme stems, leaves removed (reserve a few for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon porcini powder, (just buy dried porcini at the market and grind to a powder, optional)
2 teaspoons salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons for the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon for the mushrooms
2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 1/2 for the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon for mushrooms
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Cooking
Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken, especially under the skin.

Using a 12 to 14 inch cast iron pan, on medium high heat, sear both sides of the chicken thighs in the olive oil and duck or bacon fat, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool, covered.
In the same pan, add the butter to the existing oils and on medium to high heat, saute the shallots or onions until they are opaque. Now add the mushrooms and garlic, saute until the mushroom slices are seared and very browned, about 12 minutes. Now add the salt and pepper reserved for the mushrooms, and the porcini powder.

Add the chicken broth and the white wine at the same time to deglaze, about 30 seconds. Add the marsala, Dijon mustard and the cream, stir well until all liquids are simmered and blended. This gravy should be a gorgeous creamy patina.
Add back the chicken, lemon zest, thyme leaves, paprika and the chopped bacon. Turn the temperature to low medium, cover loosely and simmer until the chicken nearly falls off the bone, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!