Mushrooms stew with chicken (Ciulama de ciuperci cu pui) and polenta

Ciulama is usually made with mushrooms and / or chicken, and is a stew with white sauce made with flour and cream (sour or heavy).

Recipe:

Stew

650 g chicken Thighs without skin and bone

500 g mushrooms (white champignon)

100 g bacon

1 large onion

40 ml oil for frying

Garlic as much as you like

200 ml heavy cream 22% fat

100 – 200 ml water

10 g corn starch or flour

Salt, pepper

Optional: green onion, parsley, dill, nutmeg / cloves powder

Polenta

100 g corn semolina for polenta

20 – 25 g butter

Salt

Water 400 – 500 ml

Stew

Slice mushrooms finely and put them in a frying pan with half of oil and let them sit without stirring until all liquid has evaporated. Then flip them over so it can cook all over with a nice golden color. (I just managed to fry them golden this first time in ages.)

While the mushrooms are frying, cut the chicken Thighs in little pieces so they would cook faster.

Chop the onion, garlic and bacon.

When the mushrooms are done, remove them from the frying pan, and put the rest of the oil, add the chicken, onion, garlic and bacon and let them cook.

After the chicken is done add the mushrooms, the greens if used, pepper.

In a bowl put the heavy cream with the starch to disolve. If needed add some water, first 100 ml. Add the mixture to the pan. Stir so it doesn't stick to the pan.

Let it cook for a few minutes, then add to taste salt. If you like, you could add some nutmeg.

See if you need to add more water, depending on how thick you would like the sauce.

Polenta

Boil water, put it in the pan about 350 – 400 ml, add butter and salt, add the corn semolina and stir with a whisk. If water is needed, add more depending on how thick you would like the polenta.