FORAGE: Wild Blewits & Braised Chicken Thighs, White Wine Cream Sauce, and Kale Orzo

• Wild Blewit Recipe Substitutions
• How to Make Wild Blewit Mushrooms, Braised Chicken Thighs, with White Wine Cream Sauce, and Kale Orzo
• Wild Blewit Mushrooms, Braised Chicken Thighs, White Wine Cream Sauce, and Kale Orzo

Did you luck into a treasure trove of wild purple-hued blewit mushrooms, and you’re looking for a special recipe to showcase their delicate flavor?

This rich but simple dish combines sauteed wild mushrooms with braised chicken thighs (either fresh or home-canned whole or boneless thighs) and a white wine cream sauce.

The braised chicken and sauteed mushrooms are served on a bed of creamy Parmesan and kale orzo, and it’s absolutely delicious. You can also make just the cheesy kale orzo as a simple homemade side dish!

Wild Blewit Recipe Substitutions

Don’t have a source for wild blewits, either bought or foraged? No worries, you can still make a version of this dish!

Substitute wild or cultivated oyster mushrooms, or even cremini or sliced portabello mushrooms for the blewits. You could even use button mushrooms in a pinch, though it will lack some of the depth of flavor that the wild ones give to this dish.

You could even leave out the chicken and make a vegetarian version! Mushrooms, cream, white wine, chicken and nutty Parmesan cheese are always a winning combination, and add umami to the kale orzo.

How to Make Wild Blewit Mushrooms, Braised Chicken Thighs, with White Wine Cream Sauce, and Kale Orzo

Prep Ingredients:

• Slice mushrooms, mince herbs, and peel and small dice the onion.
• If you are using fresh kale, wash it, strip the stems, and chop the greens finely into strips and then crosswise into confetti-sized pieces.
• Bring a pot with 2-3 quarts of salted water to a boil for the orzo.

Cook Onions & Chicken Thighs:

• If you are using fresh chicken thighs:
  • Season them lightly with salt and pepper and brown them in a heavy pan over medium high heat.
  • Then reduce the heat to medium low, add the onions and herbs and proceed as below.

Sweat the onion with a tbsp of butter, a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper, and ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves. Add the wine to the pan to deglaze and then the cream once the wine starts to simmer. You can add a splash of chicken stock as needed if you are using fresh thighs (the canned are already in stock so should have plenty of moisture for the sauce).

• If you are using canned chicken:
  • Sweat the onions with the butter and herbs in a pan first, then add the wine and cream.
  • Add the canned chicken last as it is very delicate and already fully cooked. You just need to gently warm it through.
  • You may want to remove the bones, if the thighs are bone-in, as canned bones are very soft and can be difficult to eat around.

Cook Blewit Mushrooms:

• In another pan, dry saute the mushroom slices over medium heat for a few minutes.
• When you have cooked off most of the liquid, add a tbsp of butter and some herbs to the pan.
• Season mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste and saute lightly until they are golden brown around the edges.
• Ladle a small scoop of the liquid from the chicken and onions to deglaze the pan (about 2-3 oz).
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed and keep warm.

Cook Creamy Kale Orzo:

• Cook the orzo in boiling water as directed on the package, adding the kale (you can use either fresh or frozen finely chopped kale) to the pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking.
  • Fresh kale needs to cook longer than the frozen kale, which has already been blanched, so add it to the orzo sooner so it isn’t tough.
  • Frozen kale only needs a a minute or two, maybe three if the pieces are larger.
• Drain any excess liquid and return the kale and orzo to the pan.
• Quickly stir in the remaining butter, a splash of half and half or milk, and the grated Parmesan cheese, and fold to mix.
• Season the Parmesan kale orzo with fresh black pepper and 2 tablespoons of fresh chives.

Plate and Serve:

• Spoon the creamy kale orzo onto deep plates or wide shallow bowls.
• Divide and serve the chicken on top of the orzo (you may want to remove the bones, especially if you are using canned bone-in chicken).
• Topped with the mushrooms, and any remaining cream sauce from the chicken.
• Garnish with fresh chives and serve while it’s hot!