Chicken thighs can make a flavorful, tender dinner. Using this method they are 'fall off the bone' tender and have a crispy, delicious skin. This recipe is adapted from cookbook author Cal Peternell. The flavorful stock is imparted into the dark thigh meat, and the braising technique also insures the meat is completely cooked through and very tender. Keeping the skin crispy is accomplished by not covering the skillet in the oven as the thighs cook in the liquid with the skin exposed.
Once you make this recipe, you'll not need the recipe again as the measurements do not need to be exact. The technique is most important and easy to remember. Adjust the recipe to accommodate the number of diners. I typically make one thigh per person if they are larger, as is typical at my meat counter. None of the quantities shown need be followed closely.
Ingredients (serves 4-8 adults)
4-8 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 per person)
Course salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 cups all-purpose flour, for dredging
2-4 tablespoons seasoned salt (Lawry's preferred)
Vegetable oil (2-4 tablespoons)
3/4 cup white wine
1 large sweet onion, medium dice
1 large carrot, peeled, medium dice
2 celery stalks, medium dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed or big pinch of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2-4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and allow them rest on the counter while you chop the vegetables.
Arrange an oven rack in the upper half of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Use convection roast of convection bake if your oven has that option.
In a large bowl use a fork to thoroughly combine flour and seasoned salt.
Add half the chicken and dredge, insuring all sides are covered. Shake off the excess flour, place the floured chicken on a plate and repeat the process with the other pieces.
Over medium-high heat, add oil to a heavy, oven-safe skillet and allow it to heat until shimmering.
Place chicken thighs into the hot skillet, skin-side down, in one layer without crowding. Adjust the heat as necessary so the thighs are sizzling, but not burning. Let them cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, then turn and brown the other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and repeat with remaining thighs, adding more oil if pan seems dry.
Pour off the hot fat drippings from the skillet and discard. Add the wine to the skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Let simmer over medium heat until the wine is reduced by half. Pour the cooking liquid into a small bowl and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the skillet and allow it to heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, without browning, approximately 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir in for one minutes. Then return the liquid to the skillet and add the thyme and bay leaf and stir in. Return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up. Add chicken broth until it covers the sides of the chicken but does not cover the skin.
Bring to a simmer and then place the skillet in the hot oven.
After 8-10 minutes when the chicken skin is nicely browned and crisp, reduce the oven heat to 325° F and cook until chicken is very tender, another 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven and using tongs, remove the thighs from the skillet and serve with chopped parsley or cilantro as garnish.
Note: Before serving dinner, pour the liquid contents of the skillet into a small bowl or fat separator and allow it to sit while you dine. After dinner remove/pour off excess fat. While I do not serve the liquid with this meal, it makes an excellent soup base which I typically make the next day with noodles, simply be adding some water to the highly flavorful base.
Ingredients (serves 4-8 adults)
4-8 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 per person)
Course salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 cups all-purpose flour, for dredging
2-4 tablespoons seasoned salt (Lawry's preferred)
Vegetable oil (2-4 tablespoons)
3/4 cup white wine
1 large sweet onion, medium dice
1 large carrot, peeled, medium dice
2 celery stalks, medium dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed or big pinch of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2-4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and allow them rest on the counter while you chop the vegetables.
Arrange an oven rack in the upper half of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Use convection roast of convection bake if your oven has that option.
In a large bowl use a fork to thoroughly combine flour and seasoned salt.
Add half the chicken and dredge, insuring all sides are covered. Shake off the excess flour, place the floured chicken on a plate and repeat the process with the other pieces.
Over medium-high heat, add oil to a heavy, oven-safe skillet and allow it to heat until shimmering.
Place chicken thighs into the hot skillet, skin-side down, in one layer without crowding. Adjust the heat as necessary so the thighs are sizzling, but not burning. Let them cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, then turn and brown the other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and repeat with remaining thighs, adding more oil if pan seems dry.
Pour off the hot fat drippings from the skillet and discard. Add the wine to the skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Let simmer over medium heat until the wine is reduced by half. Pour the cooking liquid into a small bowl and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the skillet and allow it to heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, without browning, approximately 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir in for one minutes. Then return the liquid to the skillet and add the thyme and bay leaf and stir in. Return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up. Add chicken broth until it covers the sides of the chicken but does not cover the skin.
Bring to a simmer and then place the skillet in the hot oven.
After 8-10 minutes when the chicken skin is nicely browned and crisp, reduce the oven heat to 325° F and cook until chicken is very tender, another 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven and using tongs, remove the thighs from the skillet and serve with chopped parsley or cilantro as garnish.
Note: Before serving dinner, pour the liquid contents of the skillet into a small bowl or fat separator and allow it to sit while you dine. After dinner remove/pour off excess fat. While I do not serve the liquid with this meal, it makes an excellent soup base which I typically make the next day with noodles, simply be adding some water to the highly flavorful base.
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