Chicken Portabella

This is the kind of dish you’d order at a bistro, except you made it in your own kitchen with one pan.

Chicken thighs get a golden sear, then rest while you build layers of flavor: shallots, garlic, green pepper, a splash of red wine to deglaze all those caramelized bits, chicken stock, and fresh tarragon and lovage.

Meaty portobello caps go on top during the last stretch in the oven, soaking up the wine sauce as they soften.

The sauce gets a quick thickening with arrowroot at the end, and you spoon the whole glossy, earthy thing over the chicken. Dinner is served.

Chef Tips

• Use an oven-proof skillet (cast iron is ideal) so you can go from stovetop to oven without transferring anything.
• Deglaze while the pan is screaming hot. That red wine hitting the surface should hiss and bubble, lifting every last bit of flavor off the bottom.
• Arrowroot thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch and gives a clearer, more elegant sauce. Mix it with the remaining wine before adding to the pan.
• Lovage tastes like a cross between celery and parsley. If you can’t find it, substitute celery leaves or flat-leaf parsley.