My Hungarian husband is always asking me to make him a good “szaft-y” dish – that’s Hungarian for a dish in a good sauce. When I watched Ina Garten take a Napa, CA vacation where she showcased this wonderful recipe, I know I could tweak it gluten-free and give him what he was asking for. I serve this with Ina’s Green Beans Gremolata for a delicious dinner my entire family loves.

Cook time: 30-35 minutes
Total time: 45-50 minutes
Special equipment: Dutch Oven or oven proof cook ware with lid

2 T olive oil
1 whole chicken, cut-up
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. rice flour
3/4 lb. Cremini mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves whole garlic
2 sprigs of thyme, tied together
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. each of salt and freshly ground pepper
2 T dry sherry
1 c. pinot grigio wine
1 c. chicken stock

2 T rice flour
1 1/2 T soft, room temperature butter (or butter alternative such as Earth Balance) OR 1/2 tsp arrowroot whisked into 2 T of the broth 

minced chives as garnish

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Heat olive oil in Dutch Oven on medium heat.
3. Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt equally over cut-up chicken pieces.
4. Place rice flour in bowl and lightly dust the chicken pieces until coated.
5. Brown chicken about 8 minutes per side. Don’t over crowd – do this in two batches, or heat up another skillet and brown concurrently.
6. Remove chicken to plate and add mushrooms and garlic cloves. Stir and saute 5 minutes.
7. Add sherry. With a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and cook for 1 minute.
8. Add minced garlic and stir 1 minute.
9. Add wine, chicken stock, salt and pepper and stir.
10. Add chicken back into pot. Cover and place in oven for 30-35 minutes. Place pot on stove when chicken is cooked through and discard thyme.
11. Remove chicken to a plate while you thicken sauce.
12. Mash rice flour and butter with the back of a spoon to create a roux. Turn pot onto a low simmer and gradually stir in the roux to thicken the sauce, about 5 minutes. Or substitute the roux with the arrowroot/broth mixture to thicken.
13. Add chicken back to pot and leave covered to keep warm.