Chicken Chasseur

Ingredients

• 4 chickens thighs , 8 ounce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.75 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 0.67 cups shallot
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic
• 0.5 cups sweet vermouth
• 1 can diced tomatoes , 15 ounce
• 1.5 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with black pepper and 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook, undisturbed, until skin is deeply browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn chicken over, and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, and set aside.

3. 3

   Remove and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms, and spread into an even layer; cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Stir in shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown and tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; add the 1/2 cup vermouth, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost reduced but some liquid remains, about 1 minute.

4. 4

   Place skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in diced tomatoes, stock, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Nestle chicken thighs, skin-side up, in tomato mixture, making sure chicken skin exposed and not covered by tomato mixture. (It's OK if some sides of skin are submerged).

5. 5

   Place skillet in the preheated oven, and bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 175 degrees F (79 degrees C) and sauce has thickened slightly, about 22 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer chicken to a large platter.

6. 6

   Place the skillet with mushroom mixture over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced or a spatula leaves a trail when pulled across bottom of skillet, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in thyme, tarragon, and butter until butter has melted and sauce is velvety, about 1 minute. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vermouth, as desired.

7. 7

   Nestle chicken in sauce, and garnish with thyme and tarragon leaves.