This is one of my favourite ways to cook Porcini. They really are at there best when braised like this. Try this recipe for Quick Braised Chicken Porcini and Thyme Risotto and see for yourself. Perfect for when you need something extra warm and delicious.
One of my favourite ingredients is Porcini Mushrooms. I can’t resist the smell of them. Someone…. stop me… before ….I ..hyperventilate. It’s a bit like smelling freshly roasted coffee, if you like it it is irresistible.
The Porcini Chicken
Dried Italian Porcini Mushrooms.
Do you want to know a bit about Porcini Mushrooms?
Porcini chicken
Some Porcini Mushroom facts
- The name Porcini means “piglets” in Italian
- Dried Porcini have more protein than most other commonly consumed vegetables apart from soybeans
- There are several types of Porcini with some different qualities, but all Porcini have a big, round, fleshy brown cap sitting on a short fat stem.
- Porcini are often found growing in association with certain varieties of evergreen and hardwood trees; pine, spruce, eastern hemlock, birch and fir trees. Like many other wild mushrooms, Porcini mushrooms continue to resist efforts at cultivation because of the symbiotic relationship formed with the trees under which they grow. They remain a true wild mushroom, picked straight from the forest floor.
- Porcini are also know by the names of Boletus edibus, Cep, Cèpe de Bordeaux, Champignon polonais, King Bolete and Penny Bun.
- The cap’s underside contains tubes, rather than gills. The tubes contain the spores
- Porcini can be found most commonly in Europe and North America but also with some success in South Africa and New Zealand
- The Porcini mushroom can grow singularly or in small clusters of two or three.
- Porcini mushrooms harvested in Italy are considered the true Porcini mushrooms.
- Its flavor is nutty and slightly meaty, with a smooth, creamy texture. This mushroom emits a yeasty aroma reminiscent of sourdough.
- Fresh Porcini are highly prone to spoilage and in Australia they can be found frozen but are more easily found dried
- Porcini are well suited to drying as this intensifies their amazing flavour. They are reconstituted by soaking in warm water. The water is infused with the flavour and can also be used (once strained of dirt and particles)
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Porcini mushroom
Now for the Braised Chicken Porcini…
Quick Braised Chicken Porcini and Thyme Risotto
The secret to getting great flavour and colour is to really brown off the chicken and after adding the tomato paste make sure that is browned off too.
Ingredients
Porcini Braised Chicken
- 80 ml olive oil 4 Tablespoon
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 100 gm carrot finely diced
- 50 gm celery finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon chopped thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
- 20 gm dried porcini
- 500 gm chicken thigh fillet cut into large chunks
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 125 ml red wine
- 2 anchovies
- 375 ml stock or a combo of porcini water and stock
Thyme Risotto
- 60 ml olive oil 3 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons thyme chopped fresh
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 200 gm carnaroli rice 1 cup
- 125 ml white wine can be replaced with stock)
- 1 cups litre chicken broth 4 1/2approx
- 30 gm butter or more if you want
- 50 gm parmesan cheese - add more if you like or extra for sprinkling on when eating
Instructions
- Put the Porcini into a jug or bowl and add 1 cup of warm water or enough to cover them and set aside
- Put a thick bottomed pot on the stove and heat well before adding half or 2 Tablespoons of oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic, celery, carrot, anchovies and thyme and stir vigorously until softened. Add the chicken pieces and continue to stir on high till well coloured and browned on the out side.
- Add the tomato paste and continue to stir till the paste is coating all of the chicken and vegetables and is also getting a nice brownish colour. Then add the red wine. Turn the heat down a little now. Then...
- Drain the Porcini into a bowl , keeping the water. Add the mushrooms to the chicken with 1 cup of stock. Let the Porcini water stand for a minute so that any grit from the mushrooms will sink. Use about 1/2 to 3/4 of it and leave the rest behind.
- Now, let this simmer covered. The sauce will reduce by about 1/2.
Thyme Risotto
- Put a pot on and add the olive oil, garlic,onion and thyme and soften (sweating for several minutes) before adding the rice and toasting. Keep this moving until you have added some liquid. Once the rice is coated and warm add the white wine and let the bubbles subside, before adding 1/2 of the chicken stock. Stir well and turn it right down stir regularly.
- Once the first lot of stock has been absorbed and you have stirred well. Add another 1/2 of the remaining stock and continue. Stir frequently. This will take up to 20 minutes.
- Test the grains of rice, to make sure they are nearly cooked. If you feel it needs a little more time add a small amount more stock and stir on low. ( depending on your rice you you use you may need a little more or less than the full 1 litre ).
- Your rice should be quite loose. ( as the rice sits it will gather up any of the liquid that is around it) Add the butter and cheese and salt and pepper to taste and put the lid on and sit for 5 or 10 minutes, enough time to check the chicken and call the eaters
- Add chopped parsley or spinach to the Quick Braised Chicken with Porcini, if you like.
- Also serve with mashed potato or plain rice
Browning off the chicken and vegetables
Adding the tomato paste and colouring
Add the red wine porcini water and stock
Making the risotto
You could also try some of these Porcini recipes for inspiration
Le delicieux – Mushroom Risotto
Chomp Chomp- Porcini Polenta
My Kitchen Stories – Porcini & Parmesan Tart with Roast Mushrooms
Food and wine .com- Porcini and Potato gratin
I made this in ” Cucina de Stefano ” last night and the bride swooned it was so good. I used a nice rice called ” aquerello ” that I happened to have in my pantry! and found that it was better than most standard risotto rice types. A 50gm packet of really good Porcini was sufficient to carry the recipe. Thankyou and yummo!!
This makes me so happy. Next time I visit “Cucina Stefano”, I want some too. Pleased that your blushing bride also enjoyed her dinner. Thanks for commenting
Oh wow… I’d LOOOOVE to have this meal. Porcini is wonderful, and I love the flavor. The last picture made me want to have risotto. Haven’t had it for a while… Thanks for the great recipes!
Oh my yum! This looks so fancy 🙂
I can’t believe you put a risotto together in such a sort time.. I’m so impressed! My risottos are hit and miss.. but I love these mushrooms (although I’ve never tried dry ones) so it’ll be a fun one to bookmark to try! xx
What a wonderful recipe, and I am loving the new look of the blog. Clever you, to put anchovies with your porcini mushroom sauce.
I love porcinis too. I remember swooning over fresh ones in Italy at the markets!
I love porcini too but unfortunately am the only one here that does.
I so get that smelling description though. I’m currently sticking my nose in a little jar of truffle salt. What is it about those little things?!
I love porcini that much too but it seems they are on my list of can’t eat foods. I don’t want to believe them. Your dish looks good enough to eat off the page.
I love mushrooms with risotto, I always cook mine into the rice and it goes brown. I like the idea of keeping them separate. Porchini mushrooms also make great stock.
I could eat that right now, and it’s not even 6am yet! Looks delicious, Tania! x
What gorgeous mushrooms. this looks delicious
I too love the smell of dried porcini and many other wild mushrooms.
I will have to try your quick braised chicken… simply irresistible with the colour and flavours..
Love the rich flavors in this!
I adore mushrooms of all types but Porcini is pretty much up the top of my list! They’re so earthy and yummy and add many depths of flavour to any hearty dish. Yum 🙂
WOW! What a link to have: well, would prefer to win a bit on tonight’s Lotto so I could really go shopping!! Love all the porcini facts: filed! Having been born in Estonia, N Europe am certain I picked these both there and later in Germany and they were yummy in Mom’s sour cream sauce [yup, the danger of fats was still a mystery!]. Lovely recipes: love risottos but have never used thyme or had the chance to try the Carnaroli type . . . I have a Sunday ‘sharing’ come up: this may be one!!!!
I love the look of this dish and I adore porcini mushrooms, especially in risotto. Your chicken has such a wonderful colour to it. What a great meal xx
The rich colour of that sauce makes me want to stick a fork into my computer Tania!
What a yummy recipe and flavours indeed! It’s so worth buying good quality ingredients rather than just trying to make do with cheaper products that you end up using more of anyway. Love the rich earthy pungency of those mushrooms, I have some gorgeous porcini salt that would be wonderful sprinkled on top of your risotto for extra Yumm 🙂
I think I knew that porcini was pig related but never researched it. I love this braised chicken with the mushrooms. You’re a fantastic cook.
That sauce is making me drool! Yum!