Oven Roasted Chicken With Mushrooms, Dates, and Leeks

               

Ingredients-

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 whole Chickens (deboned, cut into 8 pieces)

3 Tbsp. Flour

4 Tbsp. Butter

2 Leeks (whites only, sliced thinly)

1 Lg. Onion (sliced thinly)

1 Cup Portabella Mushrooms (sliced thinly)

8 oz. Dates (thinly sliced)

1 Can Mushroom soup

2 ½ cups chicken stock

1 Bay leaf

Thyme, fresh coarsely chopped (to taste)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Nutmeg, ground (to taste)

Equipment-

Sauté pan

Large baking pan

Tin foil

Preparation-

Pre-heat oven to 375˚ F.  Put chicken pieces in mixing bowl and season well with salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg.  Add flour and dust well. Heat olive oil a large sauté pan until it just starts to smoke.  Add chicken in small batches and sauté until golden brown on all sides.  Once the chicken pieces are done reserve off the heat in the baking pan.  Repeat this step until all the chicken is done and then add leeks, onions, and butter to sauté pan and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and sliced mushrooms, cook for 1 minute and add mushroom soup and chicken stock.  Stir until mixture is smooth.  Add dates and bay leaf and if needed, correct seasoning with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.   Pour leek and mushroom mixture over the chicken pieces in the baking pan and cover with tin foil.  Place in hot oven and cook for 1 hour.* 

Once done, garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot.

* This dish is best when made a day or two ahead of time and then cooled.  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Then one hour before serving reheat in 375˚F oven for 30 minutes and serve hot.