One-Pot Braised Chicken Thighs with Chard and Mustard
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 11, 2020
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 (6-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmedSalt and pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound Swiss chard, stems chopped fine, leaves sliced thin1 onion, chopped fine6 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1½ cups chicken broth ½ cup dry white wine 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
Before You Begin
We like to use green or white Swiss chard here; if using red chard, note that the sauce will take on a reddish hue. Serve with rice or egg noodles.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken and brown on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate and remove skin. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat left in pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chard stems and onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and anchovy and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps.
- Add bay leaves and browned chicken and any accumulated juices. Bring to simmer, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Cook until chicken is very tender and almost falling off bone, about 1 hour.
- Remove pot from oven. Transfer chicken to platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Let liquid in pot settle for 5 minutes, then skim any fat from surface using large spoon. Stir in chard leaves and lemon zest, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Off heat, discard bay leaves, stir in mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. (Chicken and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; add additional broth as needed to loosen sauce when reheating.)
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
8 (6-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Swiss chard, stems chopped fine, leaves sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
Ingredients
8 (6-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Swiss chard, stems chopped fine, leaves sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
Ingredients
8 (6-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Swiss chard, stems chopped fine, leaves sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
Why This Recipe Works
Hearty and rustic, braised bone-in chicken thighs become juicy and tender as they simmer and lend their rich flavor to the surrounding sauce. The only question is what to do about the skin: Browning it brings rich flavor, but we weren’t excited about eating flabby skin—inevitable after a long simmer. So, after browning skin-on thighs to develop lots of flavorful fond, we discarded the skin. Then we built our braise with bold ingredients: sturdy chard; garlic, thyme, and an umami-packed anchovy fillet for flavor; lemon zest for brightness; and bay leaves for depth. Cooking the chicken thighs for a full hour (to 200 degrees rather than the standard 175 for doneness) allowed the collagen to melt into rich gelatin, adding body and depth to the sauce. A dollop of mustard added sharp contrast to the sauce’s richness.
Before You Begin
We like to use green or white Swiss chard here; if using red chard, note that the sauce will take on a reddish hue. Serve with rice or egg noodles.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken and brown on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate and remove skin. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat left in pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chard stems and onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and anchovy and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps.
- Add bay leaves and browned chicken and any accumulated juices. Bring to simmer, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Cook until chicken is very tender and almost falling off bone, about 1 hour.
- Remove pot from oven. Transfer chicken to platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Let liquid in pot settle for 5 minutes, then skim any fat from surface using large spoon. Stir in chard leaves and lemon zest, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Off heat, discard bay leaves, stir in mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. (Chicken and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; add additional broth as needed to loosen sauce when reheating.)
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