How to Make Chicken Murphy – A Quick & Flavorful Skillet Dinner

  

Looking for a cozy, flavor-packed skillet dinner that’s perfect for family gatherings? This Chicken Murphy recipe brings together tender chicken thighs, sweet Italian sausage, golden-crisp waxy potatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and earthy cremini mushrooms—all simmered in a splash of white wine, chicken stock and a kiss of honey. 

Quick to prepare and deeply satisfying, it’s a one-pan wonder that’s as comforting as it is crave-worthy!! It had everyone going back for seconds. 

 

As most of you who are regular readers here will know, on Sundays I usually have a family dinner together with my sister, brother-in-law and my father. My sister always cooks a fabulous meal. This week she cooked this Chicken Murphy recipe that she had found online here. It smelled amazing and tasted even more amazing than it smelled!!!

It was so good that I asked her if I could snap a few photographs and then share it with you here on the blog today and she said sure!  Let's face it, when something is this tasty, it just begs to be shared, and I really wanted you to have the opportunity to try it as well.  My photos are not the best as the lighting in my sister's kitchen isn't the best and it was later in the day. I know you will forgive me for that!

I guess you could call this a guest post recipe by Cindy! My sister is a great cook. I am always telling my dad that he is very lucky to get to eat in a Five Star restaurant every night of the week!  And he naturally agrees!

I hope you will be inspired to want to try this for yourself.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE CHICKEN MURPHY

There really is nothing too out of the ordinary or complicated here.

• 1/2 pound (225g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 pound (225g) sweet or hot (you decide) Italian sausage, skin removed and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 TBS all-purpose plain flour
• 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
• 1 1/2 to 2 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1/2-pound (225g) cremini mushrooms, cleaned and cut into chunky pieces
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 small green pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into bite sized chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3/4 pound (350g) waxy type of potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and par-boiled for 3 to 4 minutes
• 1/3 cup (80ml) dry white wine
• 1/2 TBS white wine vinegar
• 1/2 TBS honey
• 1 1/8 cup (260ml) chicken stock
• salt and black pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley to garnish

 

You can use breast meat instead of thigh meat, but it will not be as flavorful, and you will need to take care not to overcook it and dry it out.

Cindy used Sweet Italian Sausage, skinned and broken into chunks. You could use Hot Italian if you want your dish to be spicier.

Cremini mushrooms are characterized by a darkish brown skin and white flesh. You could use white mushrooms in their place. I do not recommend using portabella or baby portabella mushrooms. They will turn the sauce into a most unappealing color.

Cindy used a red and a green sweet bell pepper.  You could use any color you wish, but I think the red and green together added a lovely pop of color and of course they each have quite distinct flavors.

I don't know what brand of wine she used. Just use a good dry white wine that you would not mind drinking on its own in a glass. You should never cook with wine that you wouldn't enjoy drinking on it's own.

Just use any good quality liquid/runny honey.

The recipe suggested flat leaf Italian parsley. Cindy could not get this, so she used regular parsley and it worked fine.

 

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MURPHY

This only looks complicated because of all the steps. I guarantee it is a lot easier to make than it looks.  Make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start and it will go together quickly and easily! 

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and half of the Italian seasoning. Coat with flour. Set aside. (You can just put the seasoning and flour into a baggie and shake the chicken pieces in it for ease.)
2. Heat 1/2 TBS of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage pieces and brown all over. (6 to 8 minutes.) Scoop out and into a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pan. (If there is a lot of fat left in the skillet, I would wipe it out as you will be adding olive oil to brown the chicken.)
3. Add 1/2 TBS oil to the skillet. Once heated, added the chicken pieces. Brown on all sides. (4 to 5 minutes.) Transfer to the bowl containing the sausage. Turn off the pan. (Just set the pan aside. You will need it again when you go to put everything together.)
4. Using another skillet, add 1/2 TBS of oil. Heat until hot over medium high heat. Add the potato cubes and cook until golden brown. (4 to 5 minutes.) They should still be firm and not quite cooked through. Scoop out and set aside. (Al dente is the word here.)
5. Add 1/2 TBS of oil to the first skillet. Heat over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, onions and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender. (4 to 5 minutes.) (Don't overcook any of them. You want them to retain their shape. You don't want them to be mushy.)
6. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the white wine. Allow it to bubble up and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, honey and remaining Italian Seasoning. (When deglazing make sure you scrape up all of the browned goodness in the bottom of the pan. This is called the fond and it adds a lovely flavor to the sauce.)
7. Stir in the cooked potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning with some salt and pepper.
8. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes until the potatoes are tender. If the sauce has not thickened to your taste, you can thicken it now with a slurry of 1/2 TBS cornstarch and 2 TBS water. (We did not thicken the sauce but in hindsight felt that we should have. As tasty as it was it was not quite as thick as we would have liked.)
9. Return the chicken and sausage to the pan and heat through, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

If you would like to watch a video on how to cook this you can find it on YouTube here on the Recipe30 Channel.

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR SERVING

I have seen recipes for this in various places that suggest serving this over pasta. To me that seems like an awful lot of carbs.  We served it simply as is in heated bowls with some crusty bread to mop up all of the sauce. It was fabulous!  Garlic bread would also go very nicely.  As would a bit of cheese grated over the top!

If you wanted to you can use Hot Italian Sausage in this, which would increase the spice quite a bit. We had it with the Sweet Italian Sausage and it was just perfect for us.  

I highly recommend this dish. It's really delicious!

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN I USE CHICKEN BREAST MEAT INSTEAD OF THIGHS?

You can, although you run the risk of them being much drier and not as juicy as the thigh meat. Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite sized chunks and prepare much the same as the thighs. They may not take as long to cook through.  Take care not to overcook them.

WHAT ARE WAXY POTATOES?

Waxy potatoes are potatoes that hold their shape well in cooking and that do not disintegrate easily. They are mostly used for salads and other dishes when you want a potato to retain its shape. They have a low starch content and firm moist texture when cooked. They also tend to be sweeter than regular potatoes. Examples of waxy potatoes are red potatoes, new potatoes, baby potatoes, salad potatoes and fingerlings.

MUST I USE RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS?

Not at all. You can use any color of pepper that you wish to use. I have seen other recipes which use Pepperoncini as well as Peppadew pickled peppers along with some of the brine.

CAN THIS BE FROZEN?

I cannot see any reason why it can't be frozen. The potatoes might change in texture somewhat if frozen.  Simply pop into an airtight container, label and freeze. It will keep up to six months in the freezer. Thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat over medium low heat in a skillet, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated through to serve.

HOW LONG WILL THE LEFTOVERS KEEP?

Cool down quickly and place into an airtight container.  Refrigerate promptly. This will keep for 3 to 4 days. I would not keep it for any longer. Freeze for longer storage.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?

Absolutely. The original recipe was for twice this amount.  Simply double the quantities on everything. Cook times will remain the same.

 

A FEW ADDITIONAL ONE DISH SUPPERS TO ENJOY

If you are a fan of the one dish supper, (and who isn't?) here are a few more options you might also enjoy!

ONE PAN ITALIAN PASTA - This is another small batch recipe, created for the smaller family. This recipe makes 3 normal servings or 2 generous servings, and I don't mind saying, it is absolutely delicious! Everything cooks in the same pan.  The chicken, the pasta, the sauce, everything. EVERYTHING! Chicken, pasta, cherry tomatoes, cheese, and a very tasty sauce.

SMOKED SAUSAGE AND POTATO GOULASH - A delicious one pan warmer which goes down a real treat.  Super simple and quick to throw together. Smoked sausage, onions and chunky potatoes, cooked together in a skillet. A bit saucy. A lot delicious. Quick, and easy. Cheap and cheerfully delicious!

 

  

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Yield: 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Chicken Murphy

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 50 Min

This is a delicious stew which incorporates Italian Sausage, Chicken thighs, potatoes, onions and peppers in a delicious one pan supper that is very simple to make! It looks long and complicated, but I can promise you if you have everything ready to go before you begin, it all goes together very quickly and easily.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (225g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 pound (225g) sweet or hot (you decide) Italian sausage, skin removed and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 TBS all-purpose plain flour
• 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
• 1 1/2 to 2 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1/2-pound (225g) cremini mushrooms, cleaned and cut into chunky pieces
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 small green pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into bite sized chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3/4 pound (350g) waxy type of potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and par-boiled for 3 to 4 minutes
• 1/3 cup (80ml) dry white wine
• 1/2 TBS white wine vinegar
• 1/2 TBS honey
• 1 1/8 cup (260ml) chicken stock
• salt and black pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and half of the Italian seasoning. Coat with flour. Set aside.
2. Heat 1/2 TBS of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage pieces and brown all over. (6 to 8 minutes.) Scoop out and into a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pan.
3. Add 1/2 TBS oil to the skillet. Once heated, added the chicken pieces. Brown on all sides. (4 to 5 minutes.) Transfer to the bowl containing the sausage. Turn off the pan.
4. Using another skillet, add 1/2 TBS of oil. Heat until hot over medium high heat. Add the potato cubes and cook until golden brown. (4 to 5 minutes.) They should still be firm and not quite cooked through. Scoop out and set aside.
5. Add 1/2 TBS of oil to the first skillet. Heat over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, onions and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender. (4 to 5 minutes.)
6. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the white wine. Allow it to bubble up and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, honey and remaining Italian Seasoning.
7. Stir in the cooked potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning with some salt and pepper.
8. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes until the potatoes are tender. If the sauce has not thickened to your taste, you can thicken it now with a slurry of 1/2 TBS cornstarch and 2 TBS water.
9. Return the chicken and sausage to the pan and heat through, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

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