Pui cu Smântână și Ciuperci (Chicken with Sour Cream and Mushrooms)
A creamy and comforting chicken dish featuring tender chicken pieces simmered in a rich sauce of sour cream and sautéed mushrooms, often served with mămăligă or mashed potatoes. This dish showcases the Moldovan love for dairy-based sauces and earthy mushroom flavors.
🧂 Ingredients
- 600 g Chicken thighs(boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 300 g Mushrooms(sliced)
- 1 large Onion(chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 250 ml Sour cream
- 150 ml Chicken broth
- 2 tbsp Flour(for dredging chicken)
- 2 tbsp Dill(fresh, chopped)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge them lightly in flour.
💡 Tip: Lightly coating the chicken helps to thicken the sauce. - 2
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
💡 Tip: Do not overcrowd the pan; brown chicken in batches if necessary. - 3
Add the chopped onion to the same skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
- 4
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
💡 Tip: Be careful not to burn the garlic. - 5
Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a simmer.
💡 Tip: Deglazing the pan adds extra flavor. - 6
Return the browned chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- 7
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and a ladleful of the hot liquid from the skillet. Gradually stir this mixture back into the skillet. Cook gently for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened, but do not boil.
💡 Tip: Adding sour cream off high heat prevents it from curdling. - 8
Stir in the fresh chopped dill. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
💡 Tip: Add dill at the end to preserve its fresh flavor. - 9
Serve hot, typically with mămăligă, mashed potatoes, or rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a richer sauce, you can add a tablespoon of butter along with the sour cream.
- ✓If you don't have chicken thighs, you can use chicken breast, but reduce the cooking time to avoid drying out the meat.
- ✓A splash of white wine can be added after sautéing the mushrooms for an extra layer of flavor.
🔄 Variations
- Add a pinch of nutmeg for a warm, aromatic note.
- Incorporate other herbs like parsley or tarragon.
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.