Heritage Chicken, Royal Trumpet Mushrooms And Green Farro Recipe

Prep and season

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp per side for breasts) and freshly ground black pepper. Rub minced garlic, thyme leaves, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon olive oil over the skin and under any flap of skin where possible. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Sear and roast

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When butter foams, place chicken skin-side down and sear without moving for 5-7 minutes until skin is deeply golden brown. Flip and sear the other side 2 minutes.

Finish in oven

Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 160°F (about 12-18 minutes depending on piece size). Baste once with pan juices halfway through roasting. Remove chicken and tent loosely with foil to rest 8-10 minutes (temperature will rise to ~165°F). Reserve pan juices for serving.

Finish sauce

Return pan to medium heat on stovetop. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and a squeeze (about 1 tbsp) of lemon juice to the pan juices, scraping browned bits. Whisk briefly to emulsify into a glossy spoonable sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep warm.

Prep mushrooms

Trim root ends and wipe mushrooms with a damp towel. Slice thickly lengthwise into planks about 1/4–1/2-inch thick so they keep a meatier texture.

Sauté

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When shimmering, add sliced mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Let cook undisturbed 3-4 minutes until deeply browned on one side, then flip and brown the other side 2-3 minutes. Add the finely chopped shallot and sliced garlic during the last minute and cook until fragrant but not burned.

Finish and season

Season mushrooms with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat. If desired, add a small squeeze of lemon juice (1/2 tsp) to brighten. Keep warm until plating.

Cook farro

Rinse 1 cup farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add farro and a pinch of salt, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until tender but still slightly chewy: about 20-30 minutes for semi-pearled, 30-40 minutes for whole farro. Test for doneness and drain any excess liquid.

Add greens and peas

Return the drained farro to the saucepan off the heat. Stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas (they will thaw from residual heat), 2 cups chopped baby spinach, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss until spinach wilts and peas are hot. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep warm.

On each plate, mound 3/4 cup of the green farro in the center. Slice the rested heritage chicken (if using bone-in breast, cut into 1–2 slices) and arrange over the farro. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the chicken pan sauce over the chicken and around the farro.

Arrange several slices of the seared royal trumpet mushrooms beside the chicken and farro. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over everything, sprinkle remaining chopped parsley and microgreens or baby herbs as garnish. Serve immediately.