Braised Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Spices, and Torn Basil
By Steve DunnPublished on February 6, 2023
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed1¼ teaspoons table salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 shallot, minced2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground coriander 1½ cups chicken broth ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus ½ cup juice (3 lemons)2 teaspoons water 1½ teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces10 large basil leaves, torn into pieces
Before You Begin
Use a small saucepan or skillet to crush the coriander seeds. Serve with potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, without moving it, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden brown, about 1½ minutes. Add cumin and ground coriander and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and lemon juice; bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up (skin will be above surface of liquid). Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, until chicken registers 195 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Whisk water and cornstarch together in small bowl; set aside.
- Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with aluminum foil. Place skillet over high heat. Stir coriander seeds into liquid and bring to boil. Cook, occasionally scraping side of skillet to incorporate fond, until sauce is thickened and reduced to 1½ cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust heat to medium-low. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine and then whisk into sauce and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in lemon zest and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce around chicken, top with basil, and serve.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
1¼ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1½ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus ½ cup juice (3 lemons)
2 teaspoons water
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
10 large basil leaves, torn into pieces
Ingredients
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
1¼ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1½ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus ½ cup juice (3 lemons)
2 teaspoons water
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
10 large basil leaves, torn into pieces
Ingredients
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
1¼ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1½ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus ½ cup juice (3 lemons)
2 teaspoons water
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
10 large basil leaves, torn into pieces
Why This Recipe Works
For this simple chicken braise, we started by searing bone-in, skin-on thighs to crisp the skin. We then transferred the thighs to the oven where they simmered, skin side up, in a flavorful mix of chicken broth, cumin, and coriander until they reached 195 degrees and turned meltingly tender and juicy. Finally, we reduced the sauce to concentrate its flavors before whisking in a cornstarch slurry to thicken it to a luxurious, velvety consistency. Last-minute additions of lemon zest and large pieces of torn basil made for a fragrant finish.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Use a small saucepan or skillet to crush the coriander seeds. Serve with potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, without moving it, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden brown, about 1½ minutes. Add cumin and ground coriander and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and lemon juice; bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up (skin will be above surface of liquid). Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, until chicken registers 195 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Whisk water and cornstarch together in small bowl; set aside.
- Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with aluminum foil. Place skillet over high heat. Stir coriander seeds into liquid and bring to boil. Cook, occasionally scraping side of skillet to incorporate fond, until sauce is thickened and reduced to 1½ cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust heat to medium-low. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine and then whisk into sauce and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in lemon zest and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce around chicken, top with basil, and serve.
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