When bone in chicken thighs are $.99 a pound I have to pick up a pack for a budget friendly meal with yummy leftovers.

The crispy chicken skin with tender dark meat on a creamy mushroom sauce with a slight kick of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes makes a hearty weeknight meal. Pan frying the chicken to get a nice golden color makes all the difference in added flavor.

Ingredients

• 10 bone in chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper
• Tallow or butter for pan
• 1 T garlic, minced
• 16 oz mushrooms sliced thin
• 2 1/2 T flour
• 2 C half and half or heavy cream
• 1 t dried thyme
• 1 t dried basil
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Season each thigh with salt and pepper. 
2. Heat heavy pan with tallow or butter over medium high heat.
3. Add seasoned chicken skin side down to sear about 3 minutes per side, I like a crispy skin, set on a cookie sheet
4. Bake chicken at 400 F for 30 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 175 F.  I like to keep the chicken in the oven, turned off to render the fat and keep it moist.
5. Use same pan to make the sauce with the fat from the chicken.
6. Add extra tallow or butter to pan to cook the garlic and mushroom over medium low heat until browned, about 10 minutes.
7. Whisk flour until lightly browned, about a minute
8. Gradually whisk half and half, thyme, basil, crushed red pepper flakes until thickened, about 5 minutes.
9. Return the chicken to the pan and enjoy over ice or noodles.