> Even though I'm cooking this for myself, and I'm a salt-a-holic, I actually put
> little salt in rice.  None if I was to use bacon fat.  Mostly it's salted

Depends on your audience and what you're pairing 
with it (or it with). If it's a main part of the
meal, I want it to be more seasoned; if it is
going to be the canvas for some work of art,
it should be as plain as plain.

> butter, but occasionally chicken fat (of which I have none of now, I threw out
> what I had since it'd started going rancid) and I haven't cooked any chicken

Pity about that. The only way to avoid that
is to eat mor chikin fat.

> NO fresh mushrooms (I've got dried porcini/cepes), and the only way I cook
> chicken is with mushrooms and white wine.  I've just added that to my shopping
> list.

Pig mushrooms go well with chicken, too.

Chicken, Wild Mushroom and Roasted-Garlic Saute
categories: French, Italian, garlic in bed, poultry, main
servings: 4

1 lg hd garlic, top fourth cut off 
3 Tb extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 c dried porcini mushrooms
3/4 c boiling water 
1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, cubed 2"
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
1/2 lb assorted mushrooms, quartered 
- such as stemmed shiitake, cremini and oyster
1 Tb unsalted butter, plus 2 Tb chilled
2 lg shallots, thinly sliced 
1/4 c dry red wine
1/2 c chicken stock 
2 md tomatoes, 1" dice 
1 Tb chopped tarragon 
Crusty bread, for serving 

Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the head of garlic on 
a double layer of foil, cut side up. Drizzle with 
olive oil, then wrap in the foil. Roast the garlic 
until very soft, about 90 min. Let cool, then peel, 
keeping the cloves intact.

Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, cover the porcini 
with the boiling water and let stand until softened, 
about 15 min. Rinse the porcini and coarsely chop; 
reserve the soaking liquid.

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tb olive oil. Season the 
chicken with salt and pepper and spread in a single 
layer. Cook over high heat until browned on the 
bottom, about 4 min. Transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 Tb olive oil to the skillet. Add the assorted 
mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover 
and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, 
until browned and their liquid has evaporated, 
about 5 min. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.

In the skillet, melt the butter in the remaining 
1 Tb olive oil. Add the shallots and cook over 
moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 
3 min. Add the red wine and boil over moderately 
high heat until reduced by half, about 2 min. Pour 
in the reserved porcini soaking liquid, stopping 
before you reach the grit at the bottom. Add the 
chicken stock, tomatoes, mushrooms, porcini, 
roasted garlic and chicken and bring to a simmer. 
Remove from the heat. Add the tarragon and season 
with salt and pepper. Swirl in the 2 Tb chilled 
butter, 1 Tb at a time. Serve with crusty bread.

Marcia Kiesel, foodandwine.com