Wine braised chicken thighs

Wine braised chicken thighs

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry-brine ahead - salt the thighs all over, then leave them uncovered for 30 minutes on the counter or for a couple of hours in the fridge, ideally overnight. This seasons the meat deep down and dries the skin so it crisps far better.

2. 2

   Pull the chicken out 30 min before cooking and pat very dry again. Season with pepper.

3. 3

   Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear thighs skin-side down, undisturbed, until the skin is genuinely deep golden-brown and releases on its own: 7–9 min. Take it further than feels comfortable; this fond is the backbone of the sauce. Flip 1 min, then remove.

4. 4

   Lower the heat, add shallot and garlic, soften 2 min. Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, and chili flakes and let them bloom in the fat for about 30–60 sec, until the paste darkens and everything smells fragrant.

5. 5

   Pour in the wine, scrape up all the browned bits, and reduce it hard, until it barely coats the bottom of the pan, not just halfway. Raw wine tastes sharp; concentrated wine tastes deep.

6. 6

   Add stock, lemon slices, olives, capers, thyme, and bay. Nestle thighs back in skin-side up (skin above the liquid so it stays crisp).

7. 7

   Braise uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for about 45–55 min, until tender. If the sauce is thin, lift the chicken out and reduce the liquid hard for a few minutes.

8. 8

   Finish generously: off the heat, squeeze in fresh lemon juice, scatter torn herbs, drizzle with your best olive oil. Taste for salt, braises almost always want one more pinch than you'd expect.