Have you ever just kind of thrown something together and it turned out really good? That's kind of, sort of how this meal came to be. Now, I've made rosemary chicken before. I make rosemary chicken reasonably often. It's one of those dishes that just kind of epitomizes the idea of Sunday dinner. In the past when I've made it, though, I have typically made it more gravy based. This time I added some cream and cheese to the sauce, and wow, did it kick it up to a-whole-nother level! It was absolutely delicious. I could tell because the dinner table was fairly quiet as the kids were busy devouring it. So, I just have to share this one. Here is the recipe for the creamy rosemary chicken.
Ingredients
4 boneless chicken thighs
2 tsp crushed rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz crimini mushrooms, washed, stems removed, and sliced
¾ cup chicken stock
1½ cups half and half
3 sprigs of rosemary
6 sprigs of thyme
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
8 oz egg noodles
Handful of parsley, chopped
Olive oil
Combine the crushed rosemary, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl and mix well to combine. Season both sides of each chicken thigh generously with the spice mix. (You'll probably have about ½ tablespoon of the spice mix left after you finish seasoning the chicken.)
In a large pan over medium heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then add the chicken thighs. Cook them in batches of two if needed. Don't overcrowd the pan with the chicken. Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes per side , until each side is well browned. Place the chicken to the side on a plate.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the mushrooms to the pan along with the rest of the seasoning mix that you didn't use on the chicken. Stir the seasoning into the mushrooms. Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs to the pan with the mushrooms. Allow the mushrooms to cook for about 3-5 minutes, until softened. Add the chicken stock, stir, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the half and half and stir to blend it into the sauce. Allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs, and then stir in the parmesan cheese. Stir well to fully melt the cheese into the sauce. The sauce will thicken. Add the chicken thighs back into the pan and allow it to cook on low for an additional 3-5 minutes. Make sure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
While you are making the sauce, cook the egg noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain the egg noodles well when they are finished cooking and before serving.
Serve each chicken thigh on a bed of egg noodles topped generously with the cream sauce and mushrooms. Garnish the chicken and sauce with chopped parsley. Enjoy!