Chicken Stew with Shitake and Lemongrass

Rucker gives Thai lemongrass chicken soup a French makeover with white wine, sweet potatoes and heavy cream. The result is a rich, warming stew of super-tender chicken thighs.Warming Soup RecipesRecipe from Food & Wine Best New Chefs All-Star Cookbook

Chicken Stew with Shitake and Lemongrass
Photo: © Chris Court
Active Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 45 mins
Yield:
4

Ingredients

  • One 12-ounce sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch dice

  • 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1⁄4 teaspoon piment d’Espelette 

  • Kosher salt

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs with skin 

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

  • 4 large shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps halved

  • 10 garlic cloves, halved 

  • 4 large shallots (6 ounces), cut into thick rings 

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh lemongrass (inner bulb only) 

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

  • 1⁄2 cup heavy cream

  • 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce 

  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the diced sweet potato with the olive oil, paprika and piment d’Espelette. Season with salt. Roast the sweet potato for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

  2. Meanwhile, season the chicken thighs with salt. In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the canola oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the mushrooms, garlic, shallots and lemongrass to the casserole and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve any browned bits on the bottom of the casserole. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, fish sauce and Sriracha.

  3. Return the chicken thighs to the casserole and bring to a boil. Cover and braise the chicken in the oven for about 1 hour, until very tender.

  4. Spoon the roasted sweet potato into bowls. Top with the chicken thighs and mushroom sauce and serve.

Make Ahead

The chicken stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Suggested Pairing

Zesty, focused Chablis: 2011 Gilbert Picq

Related Articles