Braised chicken thighs with crispy skin and mushrooms
Here’s the recipe. Keep in mind that I don’t typically measure when I cook - I just go by sight/feel and taste along the way so that I can adjust the seasoning. This will work with any combination of ingredients. The main thing is getting that skin crispy.
- 3 large chicken thighs, bone in
- 2 cups mushrooms, any variety
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried mushrooms, ground in the spice grinder
- 2tsp herbs de provence
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1/2c white or red wine
- 1/2 stock cube
- Low sodium chicken stock (see below)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil
- Equipment: 1 oven safe pan, aluminum foil, 1 pan to act as a weight
Add a few tbsp to a pan (enough to coat the bottom) and heat on medium low. Salt and pepper your chicken thighs, then add them to the pan skin side down. Place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the thighs, then another pan to press them down, and add some weight (canned veggies work well… I used a kettlebell). Pressing the chicken down will help render the skin and give a nice even color. Begin checking the chicken at around 10 minutes and every 5 minutes thereafter until it’s a nice golden color.
Preheat oven to 350F. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add onions, carrots, and mushrooms to the pan. Cook until the onion gets some color. Add garlic, herbs de provence, 1/2 stock cube, and mushroom powder, cook 30 sec more, then deglaze with wine. Place thighs back in pan, skin side UP this time. Pour stock into pan in between the thighs (be careful not to pour it onto the skin of the thighs) until the level of liquid is about 2/3 of the way up the thighs. Place pan in oven and cook the chicken until done, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
Check the seasoning on the pan sauce and adjust to your liking. At this point you can add a beurre manié (flour + butter kneaded together) to thicken the sauce if you like.
Serve over rice or noodles.
