No. 1 : Quick Recipe
Beer Braised Chicken
- ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour, divided½ Tsp Sea Salt, plus more to taste½ Tsp Black Pepper, plus more to taste
1 ½ – 2 LBs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, (about 8)
1 TB Canola or Grapeseed Oil
2 Cups Chopped Red Onion
4 Carrots, in thin sticks about 2” long
8 OZ sliced Baby Bella mushrooms
1 Cup Dark Beer, the darker the better
1 Cup Chicken or Veggie Stock
1 TB Coarsely Ground Dijon Mustard
2 Tsp Dried Thyme
1 Cup Frozen Baby Peas, defrosted

Step One
Whisk together ¼ cup of the flour with ½ Tsp of salt and pepper in a flat bowl. Toss the chicken thighs in the flour mixture and set aside. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet or large flat casserole. Add the chicken thighs and cook until golden brown or about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Step Two
Add the onions, carrots and mushrooms to the skillet and sprinkle the remaining flour over them. Cook and stir over medium, another 5 minutes, making sure to keep the veggies moving and not burning.
Step Three
Add the beer and stock to the pan and bring to a boil scraping up any brown bits. Stir in the mustard and thyme. Return the thighs to the pan, covering them with the vegetables. Reduce the heat until the liquid is gently simmering, then cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the peas and cook about 5 minutes more or until all is warm. Season with salt and pepper and serve on top of noodles, rice or a roasted potato mash.
No. 2 : Kitchen Smidgen
*When a recipe says “divided” it means that ingredient will be used more than once.
No. 3 : Get Creative
* To make a roasted potato mash, simply boil small red or gold potatoes for about 15 minutes. Chop in 1” pieces and toss with olive oil salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan and roast in a 400F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. *Remove and mash!
No. 4 : Wine FIND of the Week
Boom Boom Syrah
Washington State
Kroger, Public about $16.00
The earthy flavors of a Syrah go great with this easy and yummy chicken braise. Syrah hails from the Rhone Valley in France originally, but this easy-drinking wine is from Washington State – from one of my favorite winemakers, Rock Star Charles Smith. Easy to find in many stores, you’ll taste plummy jammy blackberries with just a hint of herms and earth.