Step 1
Prep the chicken in advance of cooking. Dry chicken with paper towel and season generously with salt the night before. If your time is limited, salt the chicken at least 40 minutes before cooking, allowing the salt to diffuse throughout the meat before cooking. Refrigerate the chicken if seasoning more than 40 minutes in advance; otherwise, leave it outside.
Step 2
Place flour in a shallow bowl or plate and season with a generous pinch of salt. Dredge the chicken pieces in flour, shake off the excess, and lay in a single layer on a wire rack. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heated heavy-bottom saucepan or pot (28 cm / 11-inch). Add chicken pieces to the pot, skin side down. Cook until well browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and lightly brown the other side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Tip: Make sure to not overcrowd your pot when browning the meat. If you overcrowd your pot, the meat will steam or boil and not brown, because there’s no room for moisture to escape. Rather do it in batches. I brown 4 to 5 chicken pieces at a time in my 28 cm pot. The point of searing or browning meat is not to cook it. It is for flavor and texture. So brown it well. If you think it is brown enough, brown it for a minute longer.
Step 3
Heat the olive oil and butter in the empty pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are brown, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper and sauté for about 4 minutes.
Step 4
Increase heat to high, add the port or marsala, stock, and lemon juice, and scrape the pan with a spatula/wooden spoon to deglaze. Stir in the parsley and sage. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the pan and decrease heat to low. Set a lid ajar on the pan and simmer until meat is tender at the bone, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 5
Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving plate, increase the heat, and add the cream. Continue cooking until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed. Feel free to add a bit more lemon juice to perk up the sauce.
