Ciulama de Ciuperci cu Pui — Mushroom and Chicken Stew

A creamy stew of chicken and mushrooms in a béchamel-like sauce, Romanian home cooking at its most
generous. The name comes from the Turkish "ciulama" (cream sauce). Usually served over mămăligă or
with rice. Weekday food elevated by the depth of the slow-cooked mushrooms.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (chicken, butter, cream, optional milk)

SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 500 g mushrooms (cremini, button, or mixed wild), thickly sliced
- 2 large onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 300 ml chicken broth
- 300 ml whole milk or half-and-half
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- Large bunch fresh dill, chopped
- Large bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sour cream (for finishing)

For serving:
- Mămăligă or rice
- Extra sour cream

METHOD:
1. Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven. Brown chicken pieces skin-side down 8 minutes, then flip and cook 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
3. In the same pot, add remaining butter. Sauté onions 8 minutes until soft.
4. Add mushrooms and cook until deeply browned, 10-12 minutes — don't stir too often.
5. Add garlic and paprika. Cook 30 seconds.
6. Sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring.
7. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, then milk. Simmer until thickened, 3 minutes.
8. Return chicken to the pot along with bay leaves. Cover and simmer gently 30-35 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
9. Remove chicken pieces. Shred meat off the bones (or leave on the bone if preferred). Discard skin and bones if not serving whole.
10. Stir cream into the sauce. Return chicken meat. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream off the heat.
11. Remove bay leaves. Stir in most of the dill and parsley.
12. Serve over mămăligă or rice, topped with remaining herbs and an extra dollop of sour cream.

NOTES:
- Forest mushrooms (wild mushrooms) are the traditional choice. Dried porcini soaked and added gives wonderful depth if fresh wild are unavailable.
- Romanians do not reduce cream sauces as heavily as the French. The ciulama should be pourable, not thick.
- Pair with a heavy white wine like Fetească Albă.
- Leftover ciulama makes an excellent filling for savoury crepes or puff pastry tartlets.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 560 | Protein: 38 g | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Fat: 40 g | Fibre: 2 g