America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Cast Iron Braised Chicken Thighs with Swiss Chard and Carrots

By Sara Mayer

Published on July 6, 2017

Time

2 ¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Cast Iron Braised Chicken Thighs with Swiss Chard and Carrots

Ingredients

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmedSalt and pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped fine6 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken broth 1 pound carrots, peeled and halved crosswise1 ½ pounds Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch wide strips3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice

Before You Begin

Use carrots that measure ¾ inch to 1 inch at the thicker end.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add oil and heat until just smoking. Brown half of chicken, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining chicken; transfer to plate.
  2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in carrots and bring to simmer.
  3. Nestle chicken skin side up into skillet (skin should be above surface of liquid) along with any accumulated juices. Transfer skillet to oven and braise until chicken offers little resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but still clings to bones, 1 to 1¼ hours.
  4. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing vegetables.
  5. Being careful of hot skillet handle, stir in chard, 1 handful at a time, and cook over medium heat until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in mustard, butter, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with vegetables.
Cast Iron Braised Chicken Thighs with Swiss Chard and Carrots
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Catrine Kelty.

Cast Iron Braised Chicken Thighs with Swiss Chard and Carrots

Headshot of Sara Mayer
By Sara Mayer
4(18)
8Comments
Save
Saved

Time

2 ¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
1 ½ pounds Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch wide strips
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice

Ingredients

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
1 ½ pounds Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch wide strips
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice

Ingredients

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
1 ½ pounds Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch wide strips
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice

Why This Recipe Works

For a simple, satisfying one-pan weeknight dinner, we started with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, which turn meltingly tender when braised. We browned the thighs on both sides to build flavor and help the skin crisp, then took the chicken out of the pan to build our braising liquid. We included plenty of aromatics for depth of flavor, and a slightly unusual addition—anchovies—gave the dish a savory backbone and provided even more depth without making it taste fishy. Once our braising liquid was complete, we added carrots and the browned chicken thighs to the skillet and moved the whole operation to the oven. Using a cast-iron skillet meant that the heat stayed even throughout cooking, ensuring perfectly cooked chicken. Slightly bitter Swiss chard complemented the sweetness of the carrots and added complexity to the dish. Finally, a dab of mustard contributed a punch of flavor, and lemon zest and juice added brightness. We rounded out the sauce with butter, creating a nice balance for our hearty, meaty chicken and bitter greens. 

Before You Begin

Use carrots that measure ¾ inch to 1 inch at the thicker end.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add oil and heat until just smoking. Brown half of chicken, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining chicken; transfer to plate.
  2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in carrots and bring to simmer.
  3. Nestle chicken skin side up into skillet (skin should be above surface of liquid) along with any accumulated juices. Transfer skillet to oven and braise until chicken offers little resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but still clings to bones, 1 to 1¼ hours.
  4. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing vegetables.
  5. Being careful of hot skillet handle, stir in chard, 1 handful at a time, and cook over medium heat until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in mustard, butter, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with vegetables.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

Keep Exploring

Cast-Iron SkilletChickenMain Courses
This is a members' feature.