Creamy Mustard Chicken with Mushrooms

Working in the food industry often means having to boost your cravings at odd times of the year. Back in hot and humid June where sweaters and socks were tightly packed away, I found myself in my kitchen with my oven on for hours on end taste-testing slow-cooked recipes for different magazines I work for. Now that the leaves are slowly changing colors - my favorite, favorite time of the year - it's the best time to put these recipes to good use and get the most out of gentle and slow cooked meats.

This recipe is a real pleasure during those colder months of the year where you want to dig into a creamy and tender chicken dish after a long day. This recipe makes the most of being slow-cooked and retains all the flavor of tasty organic chicken by being cooked with the bone and skin. The skin should stay crispy and the meat be fork-tender when you bring it to the table. Served with mushrooms and a creamy mustard sauce it's pretty close to a perfect meal in my book. I like to present it alongside some wild rice mixed with nuts and cranberries, some couscous with herbs and almonds or some potato puree finished with a touch of truffle oil. It's also delicious as it is though - served with a nice piece of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Creamy Mustard Chicken with Mushrooms

6 chicken pieces, legs and thighs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock
16 cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of half-fat cream
2 tablespoons of grainy mustard
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
A small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 F. Place a stockpot on medium high heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Dry the chicken pieces on each side with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper. Place in the stockpot and leave untouched for 3-4 minutes while the chicken browns. Gently turn the chicken and brown for 3-4 minutes on the other side.

Add the chicken stock to the stockpot, leaving the chicken skin side up so it doesn’t become soggy. Cook for 45 min-1 hour until the chicken is just cooked through. When the chicken is just about done, add a good drizzle of olive oil to a small pan on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes. Lower the heat and add the reduced chicken stock from the stockpot. Add the cream, grainy mustard and stir. Reduce the sauce until desired consistency and add the lemon juice. Spoon over the chicken. Sprinkle with the parsley. Enjoy!