Chicken with Herbs and Mushrooms

Name: Chicken with Herbs and Mushrooms
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Chicken whole, free-range 2.2 lbs; Butter ½ cup; Garlic 1 clove; Sage to taste; Rosemary to taste; Bay leaves to taste; Thyme to taste; Fine salt to taste; Mixed mushrooms 5 ¾ cups; Fresh liquid cream ½ cup; Butter 2 tbsp; Shallot 2; Brandy to taste; Thyme to taste; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Butter 3 ½ tbsp; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Garlic 1 clove; Thyme to taste; Fine salt to taste; Salt to taste; Thyme to taste

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Gluten Free

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Cooker Girl

Chicken with herbs and mushrooms is like the heart and soul of Italian comfort food. I mean, it's really something special, way way better than your usual Sunday roast. Inspired by the spatchcocked style of pollo alla diavola—but without the heat—this version is an herb chicken recipe that uses butter, infused with fresh Italian herbs, to keep the meat super tender as it roasts. And honestly, the real star? That creamy mushroom sauce. It seeps into every piece and is complemented by sautéed mushrooms both in the sauce and on the side. Pair it with potatoes roasted until they're golden and crispy, and you've got a mushroom chicken dish straight out of a family kitchen in Rome or Florence.

A lot of folks might think roast chicken is just a basic go-to. But this chicken with herbs and mushrooms shows how a few tweaks can really make a difference. And look, the herby butter gets under the skin, bringing bursts of juicy and fragrant meat with each bite. Plus, that creamy mushroom sauce? It is got a touch of northern Italian flair—which is great—where cream and mushrooms just blend perfectly. The earthy taste of the mushrooms, cooked until just soft, matches the richness of the chicken, creating a mushroom chicken dish that's both cozy and a little fancy. Seriously good.

It's perfect for a Sunday dinner or a night when you want something easy but impressive. Serve it with a green salad or some crusty bread. Pretty simple. You've got a hearty, savory meal that's hard to beat. The way these classic Italian flavors come together makes it a family favorite, loved for its simplicity and depth of flavor. It's not just about feeding people; it's about sharing a little taste of Italy with every bite, making it an all-time favorite for gatherings and family meals alike. Really, it's unbeatable.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken 2.2 lbs (1 kg) - whole, free-range

For the Flavored Butter: Butter ½ cup (100 g); Garlic 1 clove; Sage to taste; Rosemary to taste; Bay leaves to taste; Thyme to taste; Fine salt to taste

For the Mushroom Sauce: Mixed mushrooms 5 ¾ cups (400 g); Fresh liquid cream ½ cup (100 g); Butter 2 tbsp (30 g); Shallot 2; Brandy to taste; Thyme to taste; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

For the Side Mushrooms: Butter 3 ½ tbsp (50 g); Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Garlic 1 clove; Thyme to taste; Fine salt to taste

For Garnishing: Salt to taste; Thyme to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Chicken with Herbs and Mushrooms

To make the chicken with herbs and mushrooms, first prepare the flavored butter: place the rosemary, sage 1, bay leaf, thyme 2, and garlic clove 3 in a food processor.

Blend everything, then add the butter 4 and salt 5. Blend again until creamy 6.

Take the whole chicken, cut halfway through the breastbone 7 and remove the backbone, then open and flatten it with your hands (you can ask your trusted butcher to do it for you). Spread the flavored butter between the skin and the meat of the chicken, massaging well 8, then cover the surface as well 9.

Place the chicken in a baking dish with the open side facing down 10 and bake in a preheated static oven at 428°F for 15-20 minutes, then lower to 374°F and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 162°F. Meanwhile, coarsely chop most of the mushrooms 11 and set aside some of the nicest ones for the side dish 11. Trim and finely chop the shallots 12.

Pour the mushrooms into a pan with a drizzle of hot oil 13 and sauté over high heat for 5-8 minutes. Add the butter 14 and chopped shallots 15 and brown.

Finally, deglaze with brandy and add cream and a splash of water 16. Cook for another ten minutes, until the mushrooms have softened. At this point, transfer the mushrooms to a jug and blend with an immersion blender, adjusting salt 17. Finally, strain the mixture through a sieve to obtain a smooth and homogeneous sauce 18.

Set aside the sauce and take the mushrooms you had set aside: if they are small, leave them whole; if they are porcini, cut them in half 19 and make crosshatch cuts on the cut side of the stem 20. Place the mushrooms in a pan with a drizzle of hot oil 21.

Sauté the mushrooms on both sides over high heat 22, then add butter 23, salt, and season with garlic and thyme 34. Cook over high heat for a total of 12-13 minutes, basting them with their cooking juices.

In the meantime, the chicken will be cooked, so remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes covered with aluminum foil 25. After this time, plate and garnish with the sautéed mushrooms 26, salt flakes, and thyme. Your chicken with herbs and mushrooms is ready to be served 27!