Champagne Chicken Mushroom Risotto
Introducing a meal that anyone can fall in love with (even someone who swears they don’t like chicken, aka me). I discovered Chicken Au Champagne through a recipe a few years ago in one of my mini cookbooks, ‘French Women Don’t Get Fat’. At the time, I was on a mission to learn how to cook “the French way”. I recreated a delicious poached pear dessert, leek soup, and a few others out of the book.
The only one, however, that Sam has not stopped raving about 3 years later is the Chicken Au Champagne. I remember when we settled into our new home in Virginia, it was the first thing he requested when I told him I would make whatever he wanted for dinner.
Since then, we have made it at least 6 times. For reference, we have been in this home since the end of June… so, I’d say that’s a pretty good indication of how delicious it is.
We have tweaked the recipe significantly since we discovered it, and now we believe we have perfected the flavors, ease of cooking, and timing to create the perfect weeknight dish.
The crisp of the seared skin covering the juicy chicken thigh piled high with buttery sautéed mushrooms and fresh herbs on top of silky risotto make this simple, yet elegant comfort food recipe one to remember.
Although it sounds fancy, this is actually one of our go-to simple dinners. The instructions are extremely easy to follow and it does not require much skill. Don’t be surprised if you keep going back to it for a quick meal over and over again (leftovers from this also keep extremely well in the fridge to heat up the following night)!
Tip: If you buy 2 mini bottles of the La Marca Prosecco Sparkling Wine for the recipe, you should have 1-2 glasses of champagne leftover to enjoy with your meal!
Ingredients:
2 Chicken Thighs
Baby Bella Sliced Mushrooms, chopped
Champagne (we recommend La Marca Prosecco Sparkling Wine)
Sage, chopped
Rosemary, chopped
Thyme, chopped
Unsalted butter
Olive oil
Shallot, quartered
Lundberg Organic Porcini Mushroom Risotto (or any risotto you prefer)
Sea Salt
Pepper
Shredded Parmesan Cheese (for topping; optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Season chicken thighs with sea salt and pepper on both sides.
Cover the bottom of your non-stick pan with olive oil. On stovetop, sear chicken thighs on both sides on medium high heat until golden brown. Baste with pan juices.
Remove from pan and carefully place chicken thighs in a medium sized baking pan. Cut a small slit in each chicken thigh and stuff with 1 quarter shallot.
Add half a cup of champagne to the pan, pour over chicken thighs. Add chopped herbs on top of chicken in pan. Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter on top of each chicken thigh.
Bake the chicken 30 minutes; baste with pan juices 1-2 times.
While chicken is cooking, start on your sautéed mushrooms and risotto. Add mushrooms to a small non-stick pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook over medium heat, stir until soft and tender.
In a 2 qt saucepan, sauté rice in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add 2 1/2 cups water and contents of seasoning pouch. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to summer, cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender. Stir in sautéed mushrooms. Remove chicken from oven once cooked through.
Place risotto on plate or bowl, top with chicken thigh, drizzle pan juices over top if desired. Garnish with a small sprig of rosemary and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (optional).
I would LOVE to see how your Champagne Chicken Mushroom Risotto turns out! Tag me in your post or stories on Instagram (@lifestylebyannaelizabeth) for a chance to be featured.
Want more recipes? Check out Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Blondie Skillet and Sparkling Fig and Thyme Cider Cocktail.
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xo Anna Elizabeth