Oven Braised Chicken Recipes

BRAISE-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut backbone from chicken using kitchen shears and save backbone for another use. Flip chicken, breast-side up, and forcefully press chicken down to flatten; season generously with salt.
• Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat; pan-fry chicken, skin-side down, until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, skin-side up.
• Cook and stir onion in oil in the same skillet until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Continue cooking until most of the beer is reduced, 2 to 4 minutes more. Stir chicken broth, carrots, lemon, rosemary, and thyme into beer mixture. Arrange chicken, skin-side up, over vegetables.
• Roast in the preheated oven until chicken is golden brown and crispy, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken and vegetables to a large platter and let rest, uncovered.
• Bring remaining broth and juices in the skillet to a boil and cook until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
• Slice chicken and serve with sauce.

BRAISED AND ROASTED CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350. Put the chicken fat in a roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the leg quarters with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, flesh side down. Cook, turning and rotating the pieces as necessary, until well browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove, then add the breast halves, skin side down. Brown them well, then flip and cook for just 1 minute or so; remove to a separate plate.
• Put the leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, herbs and chicken-wing meat in the same pan and cook until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Nestle the leg quarters among the vegetables, meaty side up. Add enough of the stock to come about halfway up the thighs. (The amount will depend on the breadth of your pan; add a little water if necessary.)
• Put the pan in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, checking occasionally and stirring the vegetables if they threaten to brown too much. When the thigh meat is tender, raise the heat to 400 and lay the breast halves on the vegetables, skin side up. Continue cooking until they are done, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
• Transfer the vegetables to a platter. You can serve one of two ways: slice the breasts and shred the leg-and-thigh meat and lay the meat on top of the vegetables; or cut the leg-thigh pieces in half, cut the breasts in half and give each person a little of each. Garnish with reserved chopped celery leaves.

CAL PETERNELL'S BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Season chicken legs with salt and pepper and let them sit for a while, 15 minutes to an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a cup or two of flour in a large bowl, add half the chicken and tumble the legs around to coat.
• Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil or butter and allow to melt and foam. Shake excess flour off the chicken legs and slide them into the hot pan in one layer; adjust the heat so the legs are sizzling nicely. When the legs begin to brown, after about 5 minutes, turn them over to brown the other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and repeat with remaining legs, adding more oil or butter if the pan seems dry.
• Pour off the grease in the pan and add the wine or other liquid to the skillet, scraping at the sticky bits. Let simmer over medium heat until pan is completely deglazed. Pour that liquid into a small bowl and set aside.
• Add remaining oil or butter to the pan and allow it to heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook for a minute or so, then return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up, along with the reserved glazing liquid and between 1 and 3 cups stock or water, enough to come up the sides of the chicken but not to get them swimming. Bring to a simmer and then put the skillet in the oven.
• After 5 minutes or so, reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees and cook until chicken is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. (Test for doneness by inserting a slender-bladed knife into the meat. It should pull out easily.) Remove the skillet from the oven, lift the legs from the skillet and put them aside again. Pour the liquid contents of the skillet into a small bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so, letting the fat rise to the surface. Use a small ladle to skim off and discard the fat, then return liquid to the pan, along with the chicken. Bring back to a simmer on the stovetop, then return to the oven for 5 minutes or so before serving, sprinkled with the chopped parsley, or save to reheat later.

BRAISED PAPRIKA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine kosher salt, paprika, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pat chicken dry and rub the mixture all over. Place a 3-to 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When it smokes, add chicken, skin side down, and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on second side.
• Transfer chicken to a plate and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Return to stove on medium heat, add onions, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until golden and softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add potatoes and broth and scrape the pan to incorporate any browned bits. Add chicken, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover.
• Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Add chicken, turn to moisten in sauce, and serve.

EMERIL'S BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season the chicken all over with the Essence and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Place the 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl, and quickly dredge both sides of each thigh in the flour, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch flameproof casserole or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, and when it has melted, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, and when it has melted, add the onions, garlic, thyme bundle or rosemary sprigs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon then whisk in the chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Return the chicken, skin side down, to the pan, and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, and turn the chicken skin side up. Cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes longer.
• Stir the bottom of the pan a final time, re-cover, and simmer for 20 more minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and discard the herb bundle or rosemary sprigs. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add the parsley to the sauce, stir to combine, and then spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with steamed white rice.

OVEN-BRAISED CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut each chicken thigh into 5 or 6 pieces. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil and butter in a 6-quart, oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add onions to the hot pot; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 more minute. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add green beans and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour wine into the pot and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Pour in just enough chicken broth to barely cover everything in the pot. Sample broth and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Add rosemary sprigs, pressing them below the surface of the liquid.
• Cover and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove rosemary sprigs.
• Place cornstarch in a small bowl and add just enough water to create a thin paste. Stir until all lumps are dissolved and slowly add to the stew, stirring constantly.
• Place stew on the stove and heat over medium heat. Cook and stir until gravy has thickened and desired consistency has been achieved, about 5 minutes.

BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients and heat the oven to 300 F.
• Dry the chicken well with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until it's crispy and the fat has rendered out. Remove and set aside.
• Add 1 breast (skin-side down), 1 thigh (skin-side down), 1 drumstick, and 1 wing. Brown the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, then remove to a platter and repeat with the other 4 pieces. Finally, brown the backbone, skin-side down, and remove.
• Add the onion, leek , and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and boil, scraping any roasted bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomato paste.
• Return the chicken and bacon to the pot. Add the chicken stock or water. Season with salt (if needed). Add the rosemary and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
• Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for one hour, or until an instant-read thermometer registers at least 165 F . Remove the lid and let the chicken cool in the pot for 15 minutes before serving.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CARROTS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
• In a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 4-6 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Add the onion to the frying pan and stir. Add the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the flour and stir to coat. Add the white wine, simmer until the wine has cooked off. Add the chicken stock and smoked paprika. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Cover the pan, place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through.
• Mix in the thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, then serve.

BRAISED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. In a large ovensafe saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high. Add chicken and brown, breast side down, 5-10 minutes. Turn over and brown second side. Transfer chicken to a platter. Add celery and onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add carrots and sauté another 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Place chicken, breast side down, overtop vegetables . Combine broth, water and vinegar and pour over chicken. Add potatoes to the pot, cover and braise 45 minutes. Turn chicken, breasts side up, cook another 10-15 minutes with lid off to brown.
• Remove chicken and vegetables from pan and keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid and discard. Carve chicken and place slices into shallow bowls, adding vegetables and broth. Garnish with fresh chives and serve.

OVEN-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven.Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.
• Bring a 2-qt. saucepan of water to a boil. Drop in the onions and blanch them for 1 minute.
• Drain in a colander, then shower with cold water to stop the cooking.
• Peel the onions, leaving enough fo the root end intact.
• Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper.
• In a straight-sided 10 inch ovenproof saute pan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Arrange the chicken pieces skin side down in the pan (it will be crowed), cover with a splatter screen.
• Cook until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces over and cook until other sides are deeply browned, 3-5 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to plate and pour out fat.
• Set pan over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, bacon and carrot to the pand and cook until the bacon is crisp and the vegetables are browned, 8-10 minutes.
• Add the wine ant thyme sprigs and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom.
• Boil unitl the wine has ruecued to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan and cover.
• Transfer to the oven and braise until the chicken is fork-tender and the drumstick meat starts to come away from the bone, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer everything to a serving dish and keep warm by covering loosely with foil.
• Discard the thyme sprigs.
• Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
• Bring the sauce to a boil over medium high heat, then simmer until slightly thicken, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with thyme leaves and serve.

BRAISED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper.
• In a large ovensafe pot or Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high. Add chicken and brown, breast side down, for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn over and brown second side. Transfer chicken to a platter. Add celery and onion to pot and sauté for 5 minutes. Add carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place chicken, breast side down, overtop vegetables in pot. Combine broth, water and vinegar and pour over chicken. Add potatoes, cover, and braise in oven for 45 minutes. Turn chicken, breast side up, and cook another 10 to 15 minutes with lid off to brown. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in meatiest part of the thigh reads 82°C (180°F).
• Remove chicken and vegetables from pot and keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid and discard.
• Carve chicken and place slices into shallow bowls, adding vegetables and broth. Garnish with fresh chives and serve.

TUSCAN BRAISED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
• Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium heat. Place chicken breasts, skin side down and brown on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat remaining oil and sauté garlic for one minute; add onion, oregano, rosemary, olives and zucchini and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until zucchini starts to brown. Remove vegetable mixture from pan and set aside.
• Add white wine to the pan and deglaze. Return chicken and vegetable mixture to the pan; stir in cherry and diced tomatoes. Cover with a tight fitting lid and bake in oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 165°F (74°C)

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the chicken pieces skin-side down in a single layer in the pot. Cook on both sides, turning several times, until the skin is browned, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Add the garlic, carrot chunks and onion quarters, followed by the wine, stock, apricots and rosemary. Stir together, then return the chicken to the pot. Bring to the boil, cover and braise in the oven until the chicken and vegetables are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Serve the chicken over Cheese Grits with the onions, carrots, garlic and apricots, making sure to get a spoonful or two of the cooking liquid. Garnish with parsley and serve.
• Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly stir in the grits, then return to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn down the heat to low and stir in the Cheddar and cream cheese. Cook until the Cheddar is melted and the cream cheese is incorporated into the mixture, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the butter and keep warm until ready to serve.