Two Hares Inn Rabbit Stew

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2½ to 3 pounds), trimmed and dried well with paper towels
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered (small ones halved)
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved pole to pole and each half thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 bay leaves
• 2.5 teaspoons pressed or grated garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or rosemary
• 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Sprinkle the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper.
2. In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil until shimmering. Arrange half the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan, adjust the heat to medium, and cook, undisturbed, until the skin is browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook, undisturbed, until the second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer (adjust the heat if necessary to avoid scorching). Transfer the chicken to a large plate. Repeat to brown the remaining chicken thighs. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Remove and discard all but 1½ tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
3. Adjust the heat to medium-high, add the mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the onions, bay leaves, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms brown and the onions soften, about 4 minutes longer. Adjust the heat to medium; add the garlic, thyme, oregano, and flour; and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the flour films the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute longer. Add the wine, adjust the heat to high, and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon until the film of browned flour dissolves into and thickens the liquid, about 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Add the chicken thighs with any accumulated juices and return to a simmer. Adjust the heat to low, cover, and let simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, 35 to 45 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces about halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the braising liquid rest for about 5 minutes, remove the bay leaves, and spoon off as much fat as possible (or use a fat separator). Set the pan over medium-high heat, add any accumulated juices from the chicken, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly, about 4 minutes longer. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Stir in most of the parsley. Pour the sauce over and around the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley before serving.