Chicken Cacciatore with Portobellos recipe

I have been feeling pretty down over the last many days. Not finding a job has really gotten to me. After a year and a half in this situation, you'd think I'd be used to it but I'm not finding any comfort in the sameness of it all.

Today I asked for help. I'm one of the proudest people you'll meet, so this was a "leave your dignity at the door" kind of deal. If I could have come up with any other way to pay my bills I would have done it. Instead I went to plead. I was told that I needed to 'try harder' and 'work harder'. I'm sure that was supposed to make me buck up and get motivated, but instead I just feel demoralized. I don't know how to try any harder than I'm doing now.

Yes, I'm getting aid to help pay the utility bills so they won't be disconnected.

I feel awful. So I cook. I find cooking the cheapest form of anti-depressant I can find. So far, there aren't any negative side-effects. I'm not gaining weight and Butterfly and Renter seem to enjoy my efforts.

Tonight's chicken cacciatore turned out luscious. The aroma from the sauce was drool inspiring. After dinner, as I put the leftovers away, I spooned up some sauce with mushrooms and tomatoes and just drank it down. It was sooo very good! I'm going to thicken the leftover sauce to make a gravy to pour over the leftover chicken for another dinner in a few days.

Everything except the mushrooms are items I normally keep in the pantry, freezer, or fridge. I used sake instead of red wine because that was what I had on hand for cooking. I considered using cranberry juice but didn't have that in the cupboard either. The sake in the sauce was delicious. I left out the sage because I didn't have any fresh stuff.  It was delicious anyway.

I hope you like this recipe as much as I do.

Chicken Cacciatore with Portobellos

8 bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 ounces portobello mushroom caps (about 3 medium), wiped clean and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , drained
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 ounce), optional
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage leaves

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add four chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, not moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned chicken to large plate; brown remaining chicken thighs, transfer to plate, and set aside.

Sauteing the vegetables

2. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add onion, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until moisture evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin from browned chicken thighs. Add garlic to pot and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, cheese rind (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using cheese rind), and pepper to taste. Submerge chicken pieces in liquid and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes, turning chicken pieces with tongs halfway through cooking. Discard cheese rind, stir in sage, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.

From Cook's Illustrated Magazine