What’s better than chicken?  chicken with chicken!  The wild mushrooms have started popping up and we couldn’t be happier.  Chicken of the Woods is one of our favorite wild mushrooms and easy to spot with its shades of bright orange.  You can often find them nestled at the base of an oak tree.  We noticed the first one last week while walking Dexter, spotting it in a neighbors yard… unfortunately it was behind a fence! Do they know what yumminess is growing in their backyard we thought?  Maybe we should write them a note and leave it in their mailbox… wait, then they’ll start hunting them too, which will mean less for us.  So, we sacrificed that one and painfully watch as it grows out of it’s tender stage each day as we walk by… but the search is officially ON!  It wasn’t long before we found another one in a local park.  Wild Chicken for dinner!

Photo Credit: Christine4nier’s on Flickr

Chicken of the Woods (AKA: Sulpher shelf or Nassa in our family) has a great meaty texture.  This mushroom is delicious but you need to know how to cook it.  I’ve read on many websites and blogs that Chicken of the Woods is just ok… which to me means 2 things.

1. They didn’t know how to cook it
2. They’re CrAzY!

You do need to harvest Chicken of the Woods when it’s tender, otherwise it can be really tough and awful but if you’re lucky enough to find it in its early stages it’s wonderful.

Here’s how we cooked ours the other night.  What you’ll need:

• Chicken of the Woods
• Chicken (cut into pieces or cubes)
• garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• chicken broth
• splash of heavy cream or half/half
• splash of white wine
• salt & pepper

Clean your mushroom thoroughly and tear the most tender parts into pieces.  Add your extra virgin olive oil to your pan with some minced garlic. Let the garlic and olive oil smell fill the room (che buono!)… then add your Chicken of the Woods and let it saute for a few minutes.  You’ll notice the brilliant color of the mushroom as it cooks… really beautiful.  Add your chicken and let it cook until almost completely cooked through.  Then add your chicken broth, splash of wine and heavy cream, salt and pepper.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

For another wild mushroom post, head over to Ciao Chow Linda where Linda’s brother Frank breaks it down nicely including Chicken of the Woods and other wild favorites.

Here’s another recipe for Chicken of the Woods with tomato sauce from last year with additional photos.

I’m thankful for many of the things my dad and nonno taught me growing up but one of my favorites is hunting for wild mushrooms. I also love the fact that E loves it too. I think it’s a combination of being in the woods and the fact that I’ve always been fascinated with finding hidden treasure (it would be nice if it were in the form of gold or cash but wild mushrooms will do) not to mention, they taste GREAT.

It’s a great time of year for what my family always referred to as “Nassa” growing up, which for us is basically any mushroom that grows from or around the base of a tree. The correct layman name for this orange beauty is “Chicken of the Woods” not to be confused with its partner in crime that usually gets a later start (September) called, “Hen of the Woods” among other names. I’ll post about that once when I find the first one of the year.

It’s really hard to mistake “Chicken of the Woods” for another wild mushroom but PLEASE do not eat anything you are unsure of.

It has been a great year for “Chicken of the Woods” so far and this is our favorite way to cook it.
What you’ll need:

• olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 cups of tomato sauce
• salt, pepper and other seasonings of your choice
• splash of heavy cream (optional)

A good “Chicken of the Woods” is soft and tender. If the mushroom is in it’s later stages of growth it will be hard and woody. You may still be able to use the tips of the mushroom as the tips are usually softer but a really good one will be soft and tender throughout.

After cleaning the mushroom thoroughly, you should be able to tear it into small pieces with your hands. If you’re able to do this, the mushroom should be tender enough to eat.

Once you’re done pulling or cutting your “Chicken of the Woods” into small pieces, place it a frying pan with a little olive oil and garlic and fry it for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. (The mushroom will turn a beautiful dark orange color.) Add your tomato sauce, season well and let it simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. You can also add a splash of cream if you want (we usually do) for a richer taste. Serve as an appetizer with some bread or as a side dish. Enjoy and buon appetito!