Italian Style Braised Chicken In Wine Recipes

ITALIAN BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Set your oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up. Season the chicken skin with a pinch of salt and a little pepper on each piece. Once some of the fat has been released into the pan, flip the chicken over and cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7-8 minutes. If using skinless thighs, cook them until the meat starts to brown. Remove the chicken from the pan. (While the chicken is cooking, prep the rest of the ingredients.)
• Pour out all but a few teaspoons of the oil. Add the onion to the pan and let it cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste to the pan and let it cook until it has darkened slightly and is fragrant smelling, about 3 minutes.
• Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir well. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Nestle the chicken back into the pan, skin side up. Pop the chicken into the oven and let it cook for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve it right away.

ITALIAN-STYLE BRAISED CHICKEN IN WINE

Steps:

• Season the chicken pieces well with sea salt.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the lard or oil. When the fat shimmers, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook, turning once and adjusting the heat as needed, until browned on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. If the chicken skin sticks to the pan, don't force it. Wait a little longer and try again. The chicken will let go when it's ready.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat under the pan to low. Stir in the onion and garlic, season with salt, and cook until the onion is softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the peperoncino or pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium, and scrape up any browned bits from the sides and bottom of the pan. Cook until the alcohol aroma dissipates and the liquid has nearly completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.
• Toss in the tomatoes and basil and season with salt and stir to combine.
• Return all the chicken pieces except the breasts to the pan and add enough water to barely reach halfway up the sides of the chicken. Cook, stirring and turning the pieces occasionally, until the chicken is tender, the tomatoes have collapsed, and the sauce has a slightly thicker consistency, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Return the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C), about 10 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken to a platter or serve directly from the skillet, spooning the sauce from the pan over the chicken. Dive in.

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Finely grate, pass through a press or mince 2 garlic cloves. Set aside half the grated garlic for finishing the dish. Rub the rest all over the chicken pieces. Set aside the chicken while preparing the other ingredients.
• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter melts, add chicken in batches and cook until browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If the pan dries out, add a little more oil as needed. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon each oil and butter to the pan. Once the butter melts, add mushrooms and cook undisturbed until well browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in sliced garlic, leeks and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender and golden brown, 7 minutes. Add rosemary and wine to the pot and let simmer, scraping up the browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 1 minute.
• Nestle chicken, skin side up, into the pan and pour in any accumulated juices from the plate. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Pluck the rosemary sprigs from the pot. If the sauce looks thin, turn the heat to medium-high and let simmer until it thickens slightly, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining grated garlic, the crème fraîche, chives and lemon zest. Taste sauce and add more salt if needed. Spoon sauce over the chicken and top with parsley, more lemon zest and a dollop of crème fraîche, if you like, and serve.