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Beer Chicken Stew

Beer Chicken Stew with Biscuit Topping

Created by Ben Harrison

Performed by Vito Traino

Featuring Al (made biscuits)

Source

Ingredients

Buttermilk Biscuits

  • 1 batch of <a href="https://alvannatta.com/recipes/buttermilk_biscuits">Buttermilk Biscuits</a>

Stew

  • 3-4 carrots, unpeeled
  • 3-4 shallots
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1 apple
  • 8 oz mushrooms (any kind)
  • Sage and/or thyme <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/when-is-it-okay-to-use-dried-herbs-ask-the-food-lab">(fresh or dried)</a>
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ lb thick-cut bacon
  • 1/2-1 cup flour
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 beer, lager or brown ale (something light)

Directions

Buttermilk Biscuits

  1. Prepare <a href="https://alvannatta.com/recipes/buttermilk_biscuits">Buttermilk Biscuits</a> up to the refrigeration step
  2. During their 30 minutes in the fridge, this is a good time to tackle vegetable prep below
  3. After rolling the dough and cutting the biscuits, put back in the refrigerator until ready to use for stew

Stew

  1. For 8 oz of mushrooms, trim stems and cut into thick slices; bowl mushrooms alone
  2. Dice or slice 3-4 carrots, 3-4 shallots, and 1 fennel bulb into medium-sized pieces; bowl together
  3. Chop 1/2 lb bacon, roughly into squares
  4. Heat a dutch oven (or large, oven safe pot) on medium-high
  5. Add bacon for a few minutes to render out the fat
  6. While bacon is cooking, toss 4 chicken thighs in a bit of flour
  7. When bacon is crispy, remove with a slotted spoon
  8. Fry the chicken in the bacon fat, a few minutes on each side (don't cook them through, we're just browning)
  9. Optional: After removing chicken, (optionally) pour off around half of the fat (this step is optional)
  10. Add chopped vegetables to the fat, allowing water to release and deglaze the pot
  11. Cook for a minute or so, then add the mushrooms
  12. Add sage and/or thyme (roughly chopped or just pulled apart over the pot)
  13. Reintroduce the bacon
  14. Reintroduce chicken and cut up roughly with kitchen shears (optionally, cut with knife and cutting board before reintroducing)
  15. Add 1 beer, then enough water to make sure everything is covered
  16. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  17. Bring pot to a simmer; let it reduce for 30-40 minutes
  18. Cut 1 apple into a small dice and add to the simmer
  19. When reaching the end of the simmer, start melting 4 tbsp butter in a small pot, adding black pepper and shredding in some remaining herbs
  20. Season stew to taste
  21. Cover the stew with the biscuits, and brush the melted butter on top
  22. Place pot in the oven, 20-25 minutes or until biscuits look done