Please see our affiliate notice, located on the sidebar. Thank you for supporting Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household!

Monday, December 27, 2021

Death Row Chicken, a meal worthy of being your last!

This is one delicious chicken dinner! Granted the name is a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor, but this is so delicious and worthy of being your last meal on earth...Death Row Chicken!



Tons of flavor pus an easy two steps for cooking, and dinner is done.  

This recipe for Death Row Chicken is all about flavor! Just reading through the list of what will be dished up onto your plate will convince you. Golden brown chicken thighs, a rich pan gravy infused with a bit of dry white wine, mushroom, and spinach. Served over your choice of rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Only two steps in the kitchen and dinner is done. Step one, is browning the chicken, and for the second step, it all goes into the oven! 

Another delicious dinner from chicken thighs.

Chicken thighs are a favorite around here, and with no reservations. We have so many delicious recipes with thighs as the start attraction. But this dish utilizes those found at the marketplace with skin on and the bone in! My preference is bone-in meat for cooking, it always has more flavor. And this cut of chicken shines in this dish. You will notice this recipe calls for butter or lard for browning, the use of this fat guarantees a rich flavor. Meat always browns better in butter or lard...


The oven directions do have a purpose!

The directions for baking in the oven do have a specific goal, to keep the golden-brown skin, golden and as crispy as can possible! The sauce for Death Row Chicken needs to be poured between the pieces of chicken, and not over the top...which is quite easy to do, and results in tender baked chicken with a rich sauce and (still) crispy skin!

Some thoughts on this recipe:

If desired you may use bacon fat for browning for a mild smoky flavor!

While baby spinach is called for, if using regular spinach, you will want to break it into smaller pieces before adding to the sauce. This will make serving it much easier.

To adapt this recipe for using boneless skinless chicken thighs, simply dredge in flour before browning. 


Ingredients needed for this recipe:
  • bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • butter, lard, or bacon fat
  • garlic
  • mushrooms
  • spinach
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • balsamic vinegar
  • dry white wine
  • chicken stock
You will also need:
  • large skillet
  • 9X13 or 12X15 inch baking pan
  • tongs
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • kitchen knife
  • cutting board
  • serving platter
Now we are ready to begin!



Death Row Chicken
adapted from: RecipeAddicts
375-degree oven


8-10 chicken thighs, with skin on and bone-in
1 - 2 T butter or rendered lard- as needed for browning

1 pound of mushrooms, sliced
3 - 4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T butter (or more, it will depend on the mushrooms)
1/4 c Balsamic vinegar
2 C rich chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

*dry white wine if needed
2 large hands full of baby spinach leaves

Serve with one of the following:  rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes

Mince the garlic, set aside. Slice the mushrooms, set aside. Prepare the spinach is needed, set aside.

Cut off any excess fat from the chicken thighs. 

Melt the butter in a large skillet, and begin browning the chicken thighs. You must leave room between the pieces of chicken to fry and not steam from overcrowding. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid burning the chicken.  

A deep rich dark brown is what you want to achieve on the skin, turn over and brown the other side. When all chicken is browned, remove it to a large flat baking pan, 9X13 or 12X15 as needed for the chicken to fit without overcrowding.

Important: arrange the chicken pieces with a small amount of room around each piece, the stock and mushrooms will surround the meat, and not be over the top of the meat.

Drain excess fat from the skillet, but do not discard the portion that has the sought-after brown bits of flavor! 

Using the same skillet, add 2 T butter, the minced garlic, and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms to a golden brown, scraping the golden bits from the bottom of the pan. When the mushrooms release their juices, this will help deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, and salt, and pepper to taste.

Carefully spoon some sauce over each chicken piece, then spoon the mushroom slices around the chicken pieces along with the rest of the pan gravy mixture. Important: the stock mixture should not cover the chicken, the goal is to have the skin continue to bake in the oven and remain crispy.  

Bake 45 minutes.



Carefully remove chicken from the baking pan, place it on a large serving platter.

Return the platter to the oven to keep warm if desired.



Pour pan juices back into the (same) skillet used to brown the chicken, along with 1/4 c dry white wine. Over medium-high heat reduce the stock by half. The pan gravy will coat the back of a spoon. Add the spinach and simmer briefly until tender.



Spoon the sauce over the chicken, and serve.

Storage options for Death Row Chicken. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. I do not recommend freezing Death Row Chicken due to loss of flavor and texture upon thawing. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Death Row Chicken has been included below. 

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily
Featured recipe at:
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is a featured blogger at To Grandmas House We Go link Party!
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is a featured blogger at To Grandmas House We Go link Party!
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is a featured blogger at Full Plate Thursdays link-up and blog hop!
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is a featured blogger at Full Plate Thursdays link-up and blog hop!

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is a featured blogger at Fiesta Friday!
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is a featured blogger at Fiesta Friday!


Thanks for stopping by!

 
We offer new and delicious recipes as well as DIY ideas for your home, regularly. Feel free to drop us an email request for any question or recipe you may be looking for. In addition, like all our guests, we invite you to come for a visit again and again for new recipes, and my down-home take on frugal ways to keep your home in tip top shape. 

 
Hey you, don’t miss a post! Please consider following Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household. To follow by email, and/or by RSS feed, complete the application located on the right-hand side of the blog. Please Note, some posts may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household.
 

PS, friends, and family who love good food and household ideas might love us too! Tell them about us, and thanks for the referral! 

You may also enjoy, Creative writing from the heart... stories of life, living, and family.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household proudly shares with these generous link parties featured here.  



Printable "copy and paste" version:


Death Row Chicken
adapted from: RecipeAddicts
375-degree oven

8-10 chicken thighs, with skin on and bone-in
1 - 2 T butter or rendered lard- as needed for browning

1 pound of mushrooms, sliced
3 - 4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T butter (or more, it will depend on the mushrooms)
1/4 c Balsamic vinegar
2 C rich chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

*dry white wine if needed
2 large hands full of baby spinach leaves

Serve with one of the following:  rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes

Mince the garlic, set aside. Slice the mushrooms, set aside. Prepare the spinach is needed, set aside.

Cut off any excess fat from the chicken thighs. 

Melt the butter in a large skillet, and begin browning the chicken thighs. You must leave room between the pieces of chicken to fry and not steam from overcrowding. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid burning the chicken.  

A deep rich dark brown is what you want to achieve on the skin, turn over and brown the other side. When all chicken is browned, remove it to a large flat baking pan, 9X13 or 12X15 as needed for the chicken to fit without overcrowding.

Important: arrange the chicken pieces with a small amount of room around each piece, the stock and mushrooms will surround the meat, and not be over the top of the meat.

Drain excess fat from the skillet, but do not discard the portion that has the sought-after brown bits of flavor! 

Using the same skillet, add 2 T butter, the minced garlic, and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms to a golden brown, scraping the golden bits from the bottom of the pan. When the mushrooms release their juices, this will help deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, and salt, and pepper to taste.

Carefully spoon some sauce over each chicken piece, then spoon the mushroom slices around the chicken pieces along with the rest of the pan gravy mixture. Important: the stock mixture should not cover the chicken, the goal is to have the skin continue to bake in the oven and remain crispy.  

Bake 45 minutes.

Carefully remove chicken from the baking pan, place it on a large serving platter.

Return the platter to the oven to keep warm if desired.

Pour pan juices back into the (same) skillet used to brown the chicken, along with 1/4 c dry white wine. Over medium-high heat reduce the stock by half. The pan gravy will coat the back of a spoon. Add the spinach and simmer briefly until tender.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken, and serve.

Storage options for Death Row Chicken. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. I do not recommend freezing Death Row Chicken due to loss of flavor and texture upon thawing. 

~~~~

Would you like to comment?

  1. Does indeed sound delicious. Visiting you from the good random fun link up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A very interesting recipe, for the combination of textures, and of course, the name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is quite tasty! And the name is part of the fun! Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.

      Delete
  3. Looks good but I pretty much like anything chicken.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is tasty with a rich flavor, but I agree with you, chicken always satisfies!

      Delete
  4. I'm alway up for another good chicken recipe, as there is always chicken. This one sounds scrumptious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, the sauce is quite tasty so be sure to have something there to catch it, potatoes are especially nice...

      Delete
  5. The chicken looks fabulous - and you took it to the next level with the mushrooms! Thanks for sharing at My Big Fat Menopausal Life's Share the Wealth party!! Happy New year!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That sounds delicious! Chicken is a favorite around here so Ithink my family would enjoy this with some potatoes! I am visiting your from the Sunday Sunshine Blog Hop. Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the kind words, and taking the time to drop by, I appreciate it! Happy New Year to you and yours, have a wonderful week ahead.

      Delete
  7. Looks like great comfort food for winter! Thanks for the detailed recipe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurie you are so welcome, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do, have a great week ahead and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  8. Happy new year! I'm featuring you this week when the next To Grandma's house we go party starts, thank you for sharing with us!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Tarahlynn! And Happy New Year to you as well, thanks so for hosting, I sure appreciate it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh this looks so good! Pinned! Thanks for sharing this great post at the Lazy Gastronome's What's for Dinner party - I love to see what you have to bring. Have a wonderful week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MBFML you are welcome, and thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it!

      Delete
  11. Your Death Row Chicken looks amazing! We are featuring your post on Full Plate Thursday, 570 this week. Thanks so much for sharing with us and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, this sounds lovely, and I think I actually have all the ingredients here! Okay, tomorrow, here we come!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by, and you will enjoy this lovely meal! Full of flavor, yet not fussy in any way. Take care!

      Delete

Comments always appreciated, at Scratch Made Food! Thank you for stopping by!