Fall needs to hurry up and get to South Texas! In the meantime, I’m trying to force the cooler weather with warm & hearty dishes like this Porter-Braised Chicken Thigh recipe. Rich beer, juicy chicken thighs, and earthy mushrooms make the perfect Fall comfort meal.
Where is it already?? Fall, I mean. I just spent a week on vacation where I got a taste of Fall weather, only to come back to Texas and 90 degree weather. I’m not a happy camper. While I realize that many people think Fall is depressing because it signals really cold weather to come, I welcome it. I wait for it. I come alive with it. As the leaves change and begin to fall, I feel invigorated. It’s actually an awakening for me.
But not here in South Texas. Sigh…
Here “Fall” means that it only hits 80 degrees during the day. When I was growing up, that was a mid-summer day. But nooooooo. Here I am still wearing shorts & sandals. I know, I know, quit my bitching, right? First world problems, big time.
So to keep me quiet and not openly complaining, I’m pretending that it’s only 60 degrees outside, crisp weather beckoning. In my little weather fantasy, I am comfortably ensconced in a big sweater & cute boots. I am happy spending hours in the kitchen whipping up every comfort food I can imagine. In this fantasy, I’m digging into hearty dinners like this Porter Braised Chicken Thigh recipe.
Hey, I didn’t say it was the lightest eating fantasy in the world. But it’s my fantasy, so play along, OK?
It may be 90 degrees outside, but my insides are comfy and happy. All I need now is a big pile of leaves to jump into after this hearty Fall meal!
Although this was MY Fall fantasy, tell me what YOUR Fall fantasy meal entails!
- 3 1/2 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil
- 1 cup yellow onions, chopped
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3/4 cup Porter beer, or other dark beer
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Chop the mushrooms & onions. Pat dry the chicken thighs. Mix together the flour, paprika, thyme, & 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Coat the chicken thighs in the flour mixture.
- In a large skillet, heat 1/2 of the grapeseed oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook 4-6 minutes on each side, or until they begin to brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In same skillet, heat the other half of the grapseed oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms & onions. Add 1/4 tsp. kosher salt & 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook mushroom mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms release all of their moisture and the onions become translucent.
- Add the Porter, chicken broth & Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook mushroom mixture over medium high heat until liquid reduces by half, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, and cook, uncovered, over medium low heat for 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced.
- Serve immediately over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or other starch of your choice. Top with flat leaf parsley. And don't forget all of that Porter-infused mushroom sauce! That's the best part!
I used Stone Porter in this recipe, which I have found is readily available these days at most grocery stores that sell beer. If not there, then another dark beer will work fine. And don't worry about the alcohol in the beer--it will cook out as you cook it with the other ingredients. Although having a pint alongside this meal would be a great idea!
Note: I turned to a tried-and-true recipe from Cooking Light. To check out the original recipe, click here.
