the garlickiest braised chicken thighs
1.5lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
½ of a sweet onion
10 garlic cloves
1c white cooking wine
1c chicken broth
AN olive oil
AN salt and pepper
ingredients
yield: 4 servings
cook time: 45 minutes
course: dinner
​a perfectly garlicky, fork tender, incredibly juicy, and surprisingly easy chicken thigh
1. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. It is optional, but recommended to season them at least a couple of hours in advance and let them sit uncovered in the fridge (up to 24 hours) to help dry out the skin. Chop the onion into large cubes. Peel and smash the garlic.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
3. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in an oven-safe pan over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for about 3 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip and sear the other side for another minute or so. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes. Add the smashed garlic and cook for another 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth and bring the liquid back to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pan so they are about halfway submerged in the liquid. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven.
6. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
7. Optional: Remove the chicken from the braising liquid. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, then return it to the pan. Set over medium heat and simmer until thickened to your desired consistency.
8. Serve immediately atop the garlickiest rice pilaf.
process
about the recipe
A simple braised chicken thigh with minimal prep turned GARLICKY. Again, it was a bit hyperbolic of me to name it “the garlickiest” because I’m sure there is garlickier chicken out there, but I think the amount of garliciness is hit right on the nail. I think you’ll agree.
There is no sense in keeping the skin on chicken unless it turns out crispy, in my opinion. Thanks to the few extra hours in the fridge, this skin is CRISPY and that’s a trick that can be applied to any method of chicken cookery. It’s especially useful in baked chicken wings.
I love a braised meat because it’s nearly impossible to overcook and it results in a phenomenal sauce every time. I strained the braising liquid when I made this chicken recipe, but I found reducing it wasn’t entirely necessary, especially if it’s being served with rice.
There are some meals that are just twice as good when reheated the next day. This is one of those dishes. Reheat the chicken in it’s sauce at 350F for about 30 minutes and the chicken will come out more tender than before, the sauce will be more flavorful, and the smashed garlic cloves will be even softer. So, I highly recommend making enough for leftovers.
Enjoy!