not the same old same old

It’s that age-old question: how can I make chicken seem new and exciting again? I love the taste of poultry (we usually have it about once a week), but it can get tiring if it’s prepared the same way over and over. To shake things up, it can be just a matter of using classic flavors, but applying them with a twist. I’ve never understood why chicken breasts get all the attention–to me, they’re not nearly as flavorful or juicy as the thighs (can you tell I love dark meat?). So I’m making chicken thighs the star of the meal for once. Here, they get lovingly bathed in a blend of mustard, tarragon and sherry vinegar–mustard is a wonderful marinade because it imbues the meat with amazing savoriness, vinegar provides acid to tenderize the meat, and the anise spike of tarragon is a perfect pairing with poultry. This mushroom farro is my spin on mushrooms and barley and makes a great accompaniment to the chicken. Another great meal for a weeknight dinner, but this is definitely elegant enough for guests, too.

Mustard Tarragon Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Farro

 



This dish is really just a sped up, healthier version of my classic, Chicken Dijonnaise. You only need to give it a little advance attention because of the marinating time–the longer the chicken sits, the more flavorful it will be. Set it up the night before and it will be one less step to prepare right before dinner. 



I know some people have the heebie-jeebies about handling raw chicken, but it’s really not bad once you get the hang of it. Always use a separate cutting board for the chicken (or any other raw meat, for that matter) and put it directly into the dishwasher or sink after use. Be sure to wash your hands and knives/utensils well, too, before moving on to prep the rest of your dish to avoid any cross-contamination. For this recipe, I chose to use organic skin-on, bone-in thighs–meat cooked on the bone always tastes better to me.

 

 

Make the marinade: finely chop 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon leaves. 

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon each of the Dijon and whole grain mustards–I prefer Maille brand because of its distinctly French flavor and bite.


Stir the chopped garlic and tarragon in with the mustards and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar and stir until well combined.

 

 

Place a spoonful of the marinade on top of each thigh and, using your hands, smear it all over the meat. Place the thighs in a casserole dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Remove from refrigeration about an hour before cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature–this allows it to cook more evenly.

 

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the chicken thighs skin side down on a baking sheet, making sure to spoon any extra marinade on top. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and place in the oven to roast for 20 minutes. Flip the thighs over and continue cooking for another 20 or 25 minutes, or until done. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

 

Farro reminds me so much of its kissing cousin, barley, and it is a nice complement to sautéed, caramelized mushrooms. I prefer to use cremini or baby bellas for this dish because they have a richer flavor than white button mushrooms. Finely chop 1 large or 2 small shallots. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

 

Sauté the shallots until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a damp cloth, remove excess dirt from the mushrooms–don’t wash them, they’re like sponges! Trim the stems and chop them into quarters or smaller. Add chopped mushrooms, sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme, and a sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to the pan and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring, until mushrooms are golden.

 

Add about 1/4 cup Marsala wine to the shallots and mushrooms, bring to a boil, and simmer to reduce until there’s almost no liquid left, another 5 0r 6 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs.

Meanwhile, cook the farro. Over medium low heat, heat olive oil in a 3 quart saucepan; add the farro and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring.

 

To cook the farro, I used a combination of homemade chicken stock and water. I had 2 cups of stock handy, so I added 1 cup water, but you can use any combination, or all water, if you don’t have any chicken stock. Add the liquid to the farro, bring it up to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, until it is just cooked through, but still al dente.



When the farro is finished cooking, drain any excess liquid and mix it in with the caramelized mushrooms. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. If you want to gild the lily a bit, melt 2 teaspoons of unsalted butter in at the end. Stir in freshly chopped parsley leaves.



Serve farro alongside golden chicken thighs–that’s what’s for dinner!



Serves 2 to 3:

4 chicken thighs, about 1 1/4 pounds total

Marinade:

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

Mushroom Farro:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
10 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary or thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup farro
3 cups chicken stock and/or water
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, optional
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves

By passioneats | 4.19.2012 | Chicken, Farro, Herbs, Mushrooms, Mustard, Stock, Weeknight, Wine |

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