Join “Jayni’s Kitchen” this week for “Chicken: Three Ways to Cook the Whole Bird.”

Host Jayni Carey will prepare the recipe below that features morel mushrooms.

A new show debuts at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 and repeats at 8:30 p.m. The show is also broadcast at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. Sunday and 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Braised Chicken with Morel Mushroom Cream

—-

1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 ounce dried morel mushrooms

morel broth

1 cup heavy cream

Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, remove the tail. Butterfly the chicken by cutting down one side of the back bone from the thigh to the wing. Turn chicken around and cut down the other side of the back bone, wing to thigh. (Or, remove the back bone in the same fashion using a sharp knife.) Turn the chicken over, breast-side up and press firmly on the breast to crack the breast bone. Quarter the chicken into leg-thigh and breast-wing combinations. Rinse the chicken quarters in cold running water, drain and pat dry with paper towels. Fold the wings back behind the body joint. Sprinkle with salt and white pepper.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large braising pan or skillet with a lid. When hot, add the chicken quarters to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Brown the chicken on all sides (do not crowd). Remove browned pieces to a platter.

Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of the drippings and return the chicken quarters to the pan. Pour the wine into the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 50 minutes, or until very tender. Baste chicken with pan juices after 30 minutes. When done, let the chicken rest in the pan with the lid on for 10 minutes.

While the chicken is braising, immerse the dried morel mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water and let stand for 30 minutes. Pour the mushrooms into a strainer, gently pressing the liquid from them. Reserve the mushroom liquid. Slice the mushrooms in half lengthwise and reserve.

When the chicken quarters are cooked, remove them from the pan to a warm platter. Skim excess fat from the pan juices and reduce by half over medium-high heat, stirring up the browned bits. Pour the mushroom liquid into the pan and again reduce the liquid by half stirring occasionally. Add the morels and cream. Cook, stirring frequently, until shiny bubbles form and the sauce begins to reduce and thicken. Serve the morel cream over the chicken. Serves 4.