Sauteed Chicken With Mushrooms and Garlic Puree

• 1 chicken, 3 1/2 pounds, cut in 10 serving pieces
• Salt to taste if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound small mushrooms, rinsed in cold water and drained well
• 12 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or parsley

1. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge them in the flour, and pat to make the flour adhere.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet.
4. When it is hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook, uncovered, turning occasionally to brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes.
5. Drain off the fat.
6. Add the mushrooms, garlic and onion, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes over high heat.
7. Add the wine, tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley sprigs, bay leaf and thyme, and stir to dissolve the brown particles clinging to the skillet.
8. Bring to a simmer, and add salt and pepper if needed.
9. Cover tightly, and cook for 20 minutes.
10. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic cloves, and squeeze out the flesh by placing them in a sieve and pushing the pulp through with a pestle or rubber spatula.
11. Add the pureed garlic to the skillet, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
12. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
13. Remove the bay leaf, and serve with chopped basil or parsley.

chicken, salt, freshly ground pepper, flour, olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, onion, white wine, fresh tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, fresh basil

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11103 (may not work)