Braised Chicken with Wild Mushrooms and Thyme

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 300°F.

In small bowl, pour boiling water over dried mushrooms. Let stand 30 minutes to allow mushrooms to rehydrate (if mushrooms float to surface, place small saucer in bowl to keep them submerged). Use slotted spoon to remove rehydrated mushrooms from water; set aside. Reserve mushroom water.

In 4- or 5-quart ovenproof Dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add half of the chicken pieces and cook 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until chicken is deep golden brown (you are not cooking the chicken, just giving it color). Remove chicken from Dutch oven and place on plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add rehydrated and sliced button mushrooms, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme and 3 tablespoons of the parsley. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and mushrooms give up their juices.

Add reserved mushroom water and heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes (you are trying to concentrate the flavor of the liquid). Add chicken (along with any juices that may have accumulated on plate), broth, wine, tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Cover pan and place in oven. Bake 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is very tender and there is a good amount of broth. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprig. Place 2 pieces chicken into each of 4 large, flat serving bowls and ladle broth over. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.