Slow-Braised Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Herbs

Slow-Braised Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Herbs

This is the project one: bone-in chicken thighs browned until deeply golden, then braised low and slow with onions, potatoes, and a good handful of herbs until the meat falls from the bone. It takes an afternoon of mostly waiting, and the house smells like a Sunday for the whole time. Make it when you want to slow down and care for the people you are feeding.

You need

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg total)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 lb (450 g) small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
• 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for finishing

Method

1. Heat the oven to 325 F (163 C) with a rack in the lower middle position. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels and season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place the thighs skin side down in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Cook undisturbed for 7 to 9 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases easily from the pot. Flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft and lightly caramelized. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Pour in the wine and simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot, until reduced by about half, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Squeeze in the lemon halves and drop them into the liquid.
5. Nestle the chicken back into the pot, skin side up, with the potatoes around it. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken; add a little more broth or water if needed. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, and transfer to the oven.
6. Braise for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone and the potatoes are soft. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh should read at least 175 F (79 C).
7. Uncover and, if the skin has softened, increase the oven heat to 425 F (220 C) for 10 to 15 minutes to crisp it up again. Discard the herb stems, bay leaves, and lemon halves.
8. Scatter with parsley and spoon the braising juices over everything. Serve hot, straight from the pot.