Mediterranean Braised Chicken Thighs Recipes

EASY WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the spices to make the spice mixture.
• Pat chicken dry and season well with salt on both sides. Now season with the spice mixture on both sides (make sure to lift skin up and rub some of the spice mixture underneath.) Leave aside for 20 minutes or refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours if you have the time.
• In a large braiser or Dutch oven (like this one), heat 1 to 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking (be sure to coat the bottom well with the EVOO.) Add chicken, skin side down, and cook undisturbed for 8 minutes until golden brown (lower heat if it starts to smoke excessively.) Turn chicken over and brown on the other side briefly (about 3 minutes). Transfer chicken to a plate for now.
• To the pot, add shallots and garlic. Cook briefly over medium heat until softer and fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, wine, and broth. Add bay leaves and 1tsp dry rosemary. Season with just a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer for 4 minutes or so.
• Carefully nestle chicken into the liquid, making sure the liquid covers only 3/4 of the chicken thighs leaving the skins exposed. Add dry figs (or apricots) to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
• Transfer chicken to oven and cook, uncovered, until totally tender and liquid has reduced by about half, about 40-45 minutes (Check half way through to be sure liquid is okay, you should still have some liquid in the end.)
• While chicken is cooking, heat a small non stick pan, adding a very small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add mushrooms and saute.
• About 10 minutes or before the chicken has finished cooking, add mushrooms. Return to oven for those last 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Finish with lemon juice and a garnish of fresh parsley.
• Serve with Lebanese rice (making sure to get some of the pan juice on top). Add a side of Greek Bean salad, of balela salad or fattoush salad.

MEDITERRANEAN BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove the chicken from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking to remove the chill.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
• In a large ovenproof pan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the thighs in a single layer, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
• When the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic cloves to the pan and flip the thighs over. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and has gotten a little brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the chicken and garlic from the pan, and set aside.
• With the pan still hot, add the onions, lemon slices and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have wilted and the brown bits on the bottom of the pan have loosened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Nestle the thighs skin-side up in the onion mixture and add the garlic and the olives.
• Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and transfer the pan to the oven.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
• Scatter fresh oregano leaves over the top and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MEDITERRANEAN WINE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• * Available at Williams-Sonoma stores. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large sauteuse pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until almost smoking. Working in batches, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine reduction and stock and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Return the chicken to the pan and add the orange slices and olives. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Whisk the butter into the sauce, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. This recipe yields 6 servings.

MUSTARD-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and juice.
• Mix wine, water, mustard, and soup base together in a bowl; pour over other ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and braise until chicken is tender, about 2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Mix salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne and rub mixtures over the chicken thighs.
• In large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute chicken until golden brown. Remove from pan. Drain, leaving 2 tablespoons fat.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic and saute about 10 minutes.
• Turn heat to high and add sherry to the onion and garlic mixture. Cook until the liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, olives,basil and salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to pan.
• Cook,covered, about 35 to 40 minutes,until chicken begins to fall away from the bone. Serve over couscous.