My Mother's Cooking - Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Peppers and Tomatoes
Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Peppers and Tomatoes
My Mother's Cooking
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Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Peppers and Tomatoes
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In the summer, when the green peppers ripened in our garden, my mother would add them to her chicken stew along with onions and tomatoes. Sometimes she would also add mushrooms to make a very tasty stew, which she served over rice.
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My mother generally started with a whole chicken, but I only use the thighs because everyone in my family likes dark meat. I also use red bell peppers, which are milder, but you can use any kind that you want. I coat the thighs with flour and cook them in hot oil until the skins are crisp. If you don’t eat skins, they are easily removed from the finished dish.
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I strongly suggest that you do not use boneless, skinless chicken since you will lose a lot of flavor if you do.
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Difficulty:
Easy
Preparation Time:
60 Minutes
Cooking Time:
1 ½ Hours
Cooking Temperature:
300 F
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Ingredients:
6 Large Chicken Thighs (about 2 lbs.)
¼ Cup Cooking Oil
½ Cup Flour
2 Large Red Peppers, seeded and cut into ½ x 2 inch strips
4 Medium Onions peeled and coarsely chopped
16 Oz. of Button Mushrooms Washed, trimmed and cut in half
8 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
1-32 Oz. Box of Chicken Stock
1-28 Oz. Can of Crushed Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
2 Teaspoons Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Cup of Long Grain white Rice
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Cooking Instructions:
- Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a one-gallon ziplock bag and coat two chicken thighs at one time by placing them in the bag, sealing it and shaking the bag until they are evenly coated. Repeat the process for all six thighs.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven and brown the thighs on all sides beginning with the fat side down. In particular, the fat should be crisp and golden brown.
- Remove the chicken and gently cook the mushrooms, peppers and onions until they are soft but not browned.
- Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan.
- If you are not using a Dutch oven, transfer the vegetables and stock to a large covered baking dish or roasting pan and continue.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic and the remaining ingredients except the rice and return the chicken thighs to the pan.
- Continue cooking, covered in a 300 F oven for about 1-1/2 hours until the chicken is ready to fall off of the bone.
- Gently stir the contents with a slotted spoon from time to time to keep things from sticking as the sauce gradually thickens.
- About half way through, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. My mother often liked to add a couple of tablespoons of ketchup to add a touch of sweetness but that is purely optional.
- About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, rinse the cup of rice with cold water to remove any excess starch. Then bring it to a gentle boil in a small covered saucepan with two cups of water and a pinch of salt. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes and then turn it off and let it sit covered until you are ready to eat.
Serve with a simple tossed salad and a bottle of Pinot Grigio or your favorite white wine.
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Italian Chicken Stew
How to make white steamed rice?
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