Porcini Chicken Cacciatore Pronto

Dried porcini mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients.  The first recipe I made with dried porcini was Giadia's Mushroom Risotto with Peas .  So delicious!  I always keep them in the pantry now - you can add one or two to soups or stews or your favorite pasta sauce.  They add a rich, beefy earthiness  to any Italian dish.

This recipe is a little unusual for "cacciatore", as it contains very few ingredients and none of the peppers and onions found in most recipes.  This was a very tasty recipe.  I served it with tagliatelle to soak up the delicious gravy.

• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup water, boiling
• 6 chicken thighs - bone-in, skin removed
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3/4 cup tomato puree
• 1 cup chicken broth

Soak porcini mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes.  Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and finely chop.  Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth to catch any dirt or solids, reserve.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the chicken and cook 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.  Transfer chicken to a platter.  Remove all but 1 Tbsp. oil from the pan.

Add garlic to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring until fragrant.  Stir in 2 Tbsp. parsley and cook for one minutes.  Stir in mushrooms, tomato puree, chicken broth and reserved mushroom liquid.  Heat to simmer.  Add chicken, reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer gently 40-50 minutes or until chicken is tender.

This can be served with pasta or polenta.  I choose tagliatelle.  This is not a tomato-ey sauce.  The porcini turns it into a rich, beefy tasting gravy.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan chesse if desired.

~Adapted from Michael Chiarello - Casual Cooking