With Thanksgiving coming up, I’m always testing out new turkey recipes. I find turkey to be pretty underwhelming overall, especially when it’s roasted whole. Let’s be real, you almost always need gravy to save it. That’s exactly why I braise turkey thighs for Thanksgiving instead and make a delicious sauce to go with them. I’ve made a few versions throughout the years, from Turkey au Vin to Leek and White Wine Turkey, but the one I’ve been testing this year is by far the best. This Turkey with Mushroom Cream Sauce is going to absolutely shock you with how much you’ll love turkey. It’s melt in your mouth tender and paired with a rich, delicious mushroom cream sauce that everyone will love!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Turkey Thighs – I prefer skin on bone in for this recipe. You also can use chicken thighs, but cooking time in the oven would decrease by half.
- Onions and Mushrooms – These vegetables are the base of the braise and the sauce. You can omit if you like, however this is a mushroom cream sauce dish.
- White Wine – This is used to deglaze the pot. Use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc. Omit if you cannot cook with wine and use stock instead.
- Chicken Stock – This is the main liquid for braising. It is even better if you have turkey stock here instead!
- Heavy Cream – This is the main liquid for the sauce. You can also use coconut cream if you are dairy free.
Turkey Thighs with Mushroom Cream Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 Hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours 50 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 turkey thighs
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 oz mushrooms, diced
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 3-4 cups chicken stock
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 cup heavy cream
Preparation:
STEP 1.
Salt and pepper the turkey thighs the day before, and leave it in the fridge uncovered overnight. You may also do this day of, just note it will be less flavorful.
STEP 2.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
STEP 3.
In a large dutch oven pot over medium heat, add avocado oil. Once hot, sear the turkey thighs, skin side down, until they are golden brown. This takes 5-10 minutes. Once golden, remove and set aside.
STEP 4.
In the same pot, add the onions and mushrooms. Season with salt and saute until cooked through, arouond 4-8 minutes. Make sure to season with salt as you go. Add the minced garlic and saute another 2 minutes.
STEP 5.
Deglaze the pot with the white wine and bring it up to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to get all the flavor. Reduce the volume by half.
STEP 6.
Add the turkey back to the pot and enough stock to come up 3/4 of the side of the turkey. Season with salt and pepper and add thyme. Bring it up to a simmer so it is bubbling and top with a lid. Transfer to the oven and bake for 2 hours.
STEP 7.
After two hours remove the pot from the oven. Check for tenderness with two forks and if tender, remove the turkey from the pot and set aside to finish the sauce. Discard the thyme.
STEP 8.
Place the pot over medium heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring the liquid up to a simmer. Simmer and stir for 8-10 minutes until the sauce is thickened to a nappe. Aka can coat the back of a spoon and not move.
STEP 9.
Serve the sauce with the turkey and enjoy!
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