Calgary has been particularly cold this week, so I made this warm, comforting dish of braised chicken in mushroom gravy with homemade buttermilk biscuits.
I was inspired by the classic American breakfast dish, biscuits and gravy. Typically it is made with pork sausage and biscuits smothered in white gravy.
For my version, I braised a whole chicken and used the stock to make a rich gravy with caramelized onion and mushrooms. Then pulled the chicken meat off the bone and mixed it back into the gravy to create a hearty meal served on top of my buttermilk biscuits with a side of garlic-sauteed kale.
This biscuit recipe can be transformed to include any number of different ingredients such as cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeño peppers, chives, or green onions. Have fun with it and add the flavors you enjoy! Happy cooking.
Chef notes
Morel or chanterelle mushrooms would be an amazing substitute for the mushrooms in this recipe when they are fresh and in season!
Specialty equipment:
Hand blender
Yield: serves 4
Preparation time: 2 hours
Braised Chicken
1 whole chicken
5 liters of water
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 small carrots, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 Roma tomato, quartered
½ bunch of parsley stems, chopped
5 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp salt
Biscuits
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¾ cup salted butter, cold
¾ cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg yolk
Maldon sea salt
Mushroom Gravy
½ cup butter
2 tbsp chicken fat or canola oil
1 lb crimini mushrooms, quartered
½ lb mini king oyster mushrooms halved
1 yellow onion, julienne
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp porcini powder
4–6 cups of chicken stock
1½ lbs of pulled chicken meat
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Sautéed Kale
5 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of kale, cleaned
¼ cup chicken stock
Salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
For the braised chicken
Place the chicken into a large stock pot and cover it with water.
Bring it to a boil on high heat. As it heats, use a ladle to skim the impurities that float to the surface and discard.
Once the water boils turn the heat down to a low simmer.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 1½ hours.
Turn the heat off and let the chicken cool in the stock.
Once the chicken is cooled enough to handle, remove it from the stock and pull the meat off the bone. Set the meat aside and discard the bones.
Strain the stock and set it aside.
For the biscuits
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Cut the butter into small cubes and mix it into the flour. Use your hands to create small flakes of butter.
In a small mixing bowl combine the eggs and buttermilk.
Make a well in the flour mix and pour the buttermilk mixture inside.
Using your hands gently mix until the dough just starts to come together. Do not overmix.
Roll the dough out onto a floured surface and flatten it slightly.
Fold the dough in half and flatten it again into a rectangular shape.
Cut out even biscuits and place them onto a lined baking tray.
Brush the top of the biscuits with the egg yolk and sprinkle with Maldon salt.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the mushroom gravy.
For the mushroom gravy
In a large saucepan on high heat add about 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of fat.
Add the crimini mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan and repeat with the king oyster mushrooms.
After the mushrooms are browned, remove them from the pan, and add ¼ cup butter and the onion. Sauté until they are browned and caramelizing.
Add the flour and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent it from burning.
Turn the heat down and whisk in the porcini power.
Add the stock 1 cup at a time, whisking in between additions to prevent lumps.
Once the stock has been added and the sauce is velvety, use a hand blender to puree it. The caramelized onions will help turn the gravy a rich brown color.
Add the mushrooms and bring it to a simmer.
Stir in the braised chicken meat, parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finishing the plate
In a large frying pan on high heat, add the oil and garlic. Sauté for about a minute.
Add the kale and chicken stock, cover, and cook for 2 minutes.
Cut a biscuit in half and add the bottom half to the middle of a plate.
Ladle the chicken and mushrooms over the biscuit.
Add a serving of kale and top it with the top of the biscuit. Enjoy!
©chefalisonbiebs