Chicken With Morels
Ingredients
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- 1 1/4 ounces dried morel mushrooms – rinsed
- 2 cups water – warm (for soaking morels)
- 3 1/2 pounds chicken – cut into 8 bone-in, skin-on pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper – freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ounces shallots – finely chopped (~2.5 medium shallots)
- 3/4 cups dry white wine
- 1 cups chicken stock – unsalted
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 each bay leaf
- 1 cups heavy cream
- parsley – chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Place the rinsed dried morels in a bowl and cover with the warm water; soak until pliable and flavorful, 25–30 minutes. Lift the morels out, gently squeezing excess water back into the bowl. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter or paper towel; reserve.
2. Pat the chicken dry. Season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Heat a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. When hot, add the chicken skin-side down and brown until deep golden, 6–8 minutes; flip and brown the second side, 4–6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the pot.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent and sweet, 2–3 minutes. Add the soaked morels and cook to lightly sauté and concentrate their aroma, 2–3 minutes more.
5. Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced by about half, 3–5 minutes.
6. Add the reserved morel soaking liquid and the chicken stock, then add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 25–30 minutes; a thermometer inserted near the bone should read about 175°F and juices should run clear.
7. Transfer the chicken to a warm platter and tent loosely. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then simmer over medium heat until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8–12 minutes.
8. Return the chicken to the pot and warm in the sauce for 2–3 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot, spooning the morels and sauce over the chicken, and finish with chopped parsley (for serving).
Chicken With Morels marries tender, succulent chicken with the deep, woodsy perfume of morel mushrooms. The sauce is silken and rich from cream, with bright edges from wine and the savory fond formed in the pan. It’s luxurious yet balanced—earthy mushrooms, concentrated pan juices, and gentle dairy sweetness wrapping every bite.
Rooted in eastern France—especially the Jura and Franche-Comté—this dish is closely associated with springtime morel harvests and, in some versions, the region’s vin jaune wine. Classic renditions often use a Bresse-style bird cut into serving pieces and simmered gently so the meat stays moist. Over time, cooks have adapted the sauce to work with dried morels and widely available dry white wine, making the dish a staple of French restaurants and home kitchens well beyond its original terroir.