BAKED CHICKEN LEGS WITH MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

BAKED CHICKEN LEGS WITH MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup flour (gluten-free option available)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 lb chicken legs (approximately 3-4 large chicken legs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 oz mushrooms, sliced in half
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (if needed)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Coat chicken legs with this seasoned flour mixture on a large plate.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Place chicken legs, skin side down, in the skillet and brown for about 4 minutes until the skin becomes golden.
4. Flip chicken legs to the other side and brown for an additional 3 minutes.
5. Remove the browned chicken legs and set them aside. Discard any darkened olive oil resulting from browning.
6. In the same skillet, add mushrooms (halved) and minced garlic. Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil if needed. Sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat.
7. Pour chicken stock into the skillet, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir.
8. Place chicken legs back in the pan. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer on low-medium.
9. Simmer chicken legs for 25-30 minutes until fully cooked, ensuring the juices run clear when cut in the middle.
10. Remove the cooked chicken legs to a plate and keep warm.
11. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer the mushroom sauce for about 4 minutes until reduced by about a third.
12. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream, simmering for an additional 2 minutes on low-medium heat. Continuously stir and scrape from the skillet’s bottom until the sauce thickens.
13. Add chicken legs back to the skillet to warm before serving.