Hearty Chicken and Mushroom Ragu
My hearty chicken and mushroom ragu combines tender chicken thighs that are braised in a red wine sauce, shredded, and tossed with mushrooms and pappardelle for the ultimate comfort meal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the ragu
- 1 pound pappardelle
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 ribs celery finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine chianti, cabernet, etc
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind optional
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup reserved pasta water will most likely not need all of it
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and make enough room to accomodate a Dutch oven with lid.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat. After the pot is hot add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and once shimmering, add the chicken thighs. Sear the chicken thighs for around 5-7 minutes per side or until well browned. Work in batches and do not crowd the pot.
- Set the seared chicken thighs aside and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add in the carrot, celery, and onion and saute until very soft (about 10-15 minutes) then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Next, add in the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the paste starts to burn, add a splash of water. Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Using a wooden spoon scrape all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- After cooking the wine for 3 minutes, add the plum tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and parmesan rind and bring to a simmer. Once simmering add the chicken thighs to the pot, stir, then turn off and cover. Add the pot to the oven and braise for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove the lid and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Using forks, shred the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces. Cover and set aside and cook the mushrooms.
- Heat a large pan to medium high heat and add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms release their water, add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until the mushrooms are brown. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper then add them to the ragu. Taste test the ragu and make any final adjustments to salt and pepper if required.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until 1 minute less than al dente. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add in 4 cups of the chicken ragu. Add the pasta to the pan and cook for 1 more minute mixing well to thoroughly coat the pasta.
- Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the grated parmesan cheese. If the pasta needs more ragu, add more now. If the sauce seems a little dry add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Serve plated with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the remaining ragu on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes 6 moderate or 4 large servings.
- Pasta. Pappardelle works well for this dish but penne, rigatoni, and fettuccine are all great substitutes.
- Herbs. Any combination of rosemary, thyme, or sage will work. The herbs can be tied for easy removal after braising.
- Mushrooms. I used cremini mushrooms but the dish can be elevated with a pound of wild mushrooms such as a combination of porcini, chanterelles, maitake, or trumpets.
- Parm rind. I recommend always saving the rinds from blocks of parmigiano reggiano cheese. They can wrapped tightly and frozen then used for soups or a ragu such as this recipe. If you don't have a rind, simply omit.
- More flavor. Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs can be used for even more flavor. After braising remove the bones, cartiledge, and skin then shred the meat and add it back to the ragu.
- Make ahead. Making the ragu 24 hours in advance and refrigerating overnight will yield even better flavor. If doing so, you can remove some of the fat that will rise to the top with a spoon after being chilled.
- Leftovers. Chicken and mushroom ragu can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave. The leftover ragu can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 983kcal | Carbohydrates: 106.7g | Protein: 54.3g | Fat: 30.6g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 227mg | Fiber: 9.6g | Sugar: 16.3g | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 11mg
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