Cream of Chicken Stew

I will warn you now: this recipe uses a little bit of dairy – heavy cream to be exact.  So, if you are avoiding dairy, you’ll want to substitute (coconut milk would certainly do nicely).  Outside of that, this is a simple and easy recipe that can be cooked up in about 45 minutes and makes for a great meal and great leftovers.

Gather Up:

• 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4″ thick slices
• 3 medium leeks, sliced thinly (white and light green parts only)
• 1 small zucchini, split lengthwise and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
• 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 1-1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry(er) white wine
• 1/2 cup home made chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• fresh Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish

Whisk together the arrowroot, paprika, and thyme in a medium mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the cubed chicken with the sea salt (and a little black pepper if you like), then toss in the arrowroot mixture to coat.  This works best if you do a little at a time so it doesn’t all end up as a gluey mass in the mixing bowl.  Set aside for the time being.

Get a large sauce pan full of water boiling.  When it starts to boil, add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the leeks and zucchini next (leave the carrots in there too!) and cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

While the carrots, leeks, and zucchini are cooking, get a large sauté pan heating over medium heat.  Place the olive oil in the pan once hot, then arrange the chicken pieces and cook them until browned on both sides (but not quite cooked through).  Add the wine and mushrooms to the pan and let boil until the wine is  reduced by half (about 3 minutes).

Scatter the vegetables over top of the chicken.  Add the broth, then cover the pan and adjust the heat as needed to maintain a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the veggies are tender.

Whisk together the cream and mustard, then add to the pan.  Raise the heat to medium again and cook while stirring until the sauce thickens – about 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve, dish into individual bowls with a good mix of sauce, veggies, and chicken.  Garnish with some chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley.  Dig in!