Juicy chicken thighs slow-braised with wild mushrooms, garlic, and thyme—no flour, just pure, earthy flavor. Naturally gluten-free and perfect with bread or rice.

This recipe uses red-mouth boletes (which are for expert foragers only), but you can substitute just about any other wild or store-bought mushroom with a similar texture: porcini, various boletes, oyster mushrooms, russulas, button mushrooms, cremini or portobello mushrooms, etc. 

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Red-Mouth Boletes

These striking boletes are instantly recognizable by their cinnamon to reddish-brown caps, bright yellow flesh, and vivid red pores—all of which stain deep blue when cut or bruised. They are one of the first boletes to appear in early summer and fruit in large quantities.

⚠️ Only collect these if you are an expert forager.

Red-mouth boletes are definitely one of the most advanced mushrooms to collect for the table, because they are red-pored and blue-staining, and hence resemble the few bolete species from the dangerous Rubroboletus genus that are poisonous. Lucky for us in Pennsylvania, these poisonous lookalikes are not known to occur in PA, but you still need to be 100% sure of your ID (make sure you know the poisonous lookalikes as well), because just because we haven't found one in PA yet, doesn't mean we won't! So just be absolutely sure if you're foraging for red-mouth boletes. 

There are two species of red-mouth boletes in eastern North America that are morphologically indistinguishable: 

• Neoboletus subvelutipes which grows under eastern hemlocks
• Boletus subluridellus which grows under oaks

However, only the one growing under oaks is known to be consumed by experienced foragers—in fact, it was was one of the favorite edible mushrooms of the American mycologist Gary Lincoff. They are dense and mild in flavor, but some people have reported gastrointestinal upset—though, this may be that these reports are about the hemlock-loving species or because they weren’t cooked long enough. Just like scaber stalks (Leccinum) that are also dense, red-mouth boletes need to be well cooked so they are best used in soups and sauces that require longer cooking times (20 mins and more).

📚 If you want to know more about how to identify this mushroom, check out the in-depth mushroom profile in my book Hunting Mushrooms: How to Safely Identify, Forage and Cook Wild Fungi!

Mushroom Chicken Thighs Skillet

Last July, during Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club's annual Dorothy Fornof Foray, I found a ton of red-mouth boletes (Boletus subluridellus). Their cinnamon-red velvet caps were peaking through the brown leaf litter everywhere I looked and they were textbook perfect—firm, bug-free, and just begging to be collected!

I started to ponder if I finally felt confident enough to collect them and eat them. The walk was led by my friend and experienced mycologist and so this was a unique opportunity to test my knowledge and get my finds confirmed beyond 100%. So I did. 

At home, in addition to the perfect basket of red-mouth boletes, I had chicken thighs in the fridge and no plans for dinner. The mushrooms practically chose the recipe for me. Often, I make slow cooker mushroom pork with dried porcini (I still have to write that recipe up!) and so this recipe is basically a variation. It is a simple, one-pan dish you can make with pantry staples and a handful of mushrooms—no flour, no cream, just bold flavors and a bit of thyme. The bolete's deep umami pairs naturally with dark meat chicken and garlic-infused stock. Serve with a chunk of rustic bread to mop up the juices, or a side of rice for comfort in a bowl.

Disclaimer

Please be extremely careful cooking and eating foraged mushrooms. Never eat a mushroom that you are not 100% sure of its ID. The best way to learn how to identify and forage for edible mushrooms in your area is to join a local mushroom club or go with a trusted mushroom identifier or a mycologist. Then, even if you are 100% sure of its ID and know it's an edible mushroom, always try small quantities of a new mushroom first before eating a large batch to make sure it sits with you well.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
  
• Servings: 6

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (900 g) chicken thighs or quarters (bone-in, skin-on)
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups (960 ml) chicken stock
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil
• 4 cloves garlic (sliced)
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 tsp dried)
• 4 cups (400 g) fresh bolete mushrooms (cleaned, diced)
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• bread or steamed rice, to serve

Preparation

Pat the chicken thighs or quarters dry and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and sear until golden brown, about 5–7 minutes. Flip and cook 3–4 minutes on the other side. Remove and set aside.

Lower heat to medium. In the same pan, add the sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced boletes and cook for 3–4 minutes without stirring, until they soften and darken slightly. Stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the thyme sprigs and stir.

Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, nestling it into the mushrooms. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken.

Cover the pan with a lid (or foil if your skillet isn’t lidded) and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and tender.

Remove the lid and let the sauce reduce for another 5–7 minutes to concentrate flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread or a scoop of rice to soak up the savory mushroom juices!

Let me know what you think in the comments! I'd love to hear from you. Head to my Instagram account @fungiwoman for daily posts about my mushroom adventures. Also, check out my shop for some mushroom-inspired products and sign up for the newsletter to get updates. 

Get more recipes and learn how to identify mushrooms

Love this recipe and want to dive deeper into the world of mushrooms? Check out my book, Hunting Mushrooms: How to Safely Identify, Forage and Cook Wild Fungi! It’s packed with tips for identifying mushrooms, foraging safely, and transforming your finds into delicious meals. Perfect for beginners and seasoned mushroom enthusiasts alike!