Braised Chicken Thighs with Button Mushrooms [Mother's Day Dinner]

I love cooking for the family, sometimes enjoy someone cooks for me in special occasions. On mother’s day, I tasted my daughter’s dish again. I was thrilled when she announced at our dinner table the day before mother’s day, that she would cook me a dinner. What a treat that I treasure the most. We, as a family, could stay comfortably at home, watching MasterChef and chatting over meals. Often times, I feel a simple dish is the best taste, and a simple lifestyle is the most enjoyable.

Adapted from: Braised Chicken Thighs with Button Mushrooms [Food Network]

Braised Chicken Thighs with Button Mushrooms (Printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs, about 600 gm
• 1 Tbsp Essence, recipe follows
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 100 gm/3.5ounce button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 3 cups steamed white rice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 1/5 cup

Method:

1. Set a 10-inch, straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat and add the oil.
2. Season the chicken thighs with the Essence, salt and pepper. Place the chicken, skin side down in the pan and sear until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and sear on the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the butter and mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring often to make a light brown roux, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stock and rosemary to the pan, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
5. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side down and cook the chicken for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook until the meat is very tender, about 30 minutes. Serve the chicken over rice and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Note:

• As my daughter thought that the amount of the original recipe of Essence was too much, she reduced the amount by measuring with teaspoons. Her estimation was very accurate, leaving not too much of Essence unused after cooking. I love her frugal style of cooking.