Recipes

Winter Citrus and Olive-Braised Chicken Thighs

Copy to clipboard

Resting in a bed of fall vegetables and spices, this braised chicken is sure to bring autumn smells to your kitchen and a full palate to your plate. Don’t be afraid of the braising technique. It will give a tenderized, saucey, one-pan recipe to life, and is easier than it sounds. Serve with roasted potatoes or a warm salad to bring this main course to life.

recipe

yields

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 large grapefruit
2-3 satsuma mandarins
6 semi-boneless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
3 star anise pods
2 cups diced onion
2 tablespoons sliced garlic
1 cup diced carrots
½ cup thinly sliced fennel
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
½ cup pitted and sliced Castelvetrano olives
½ cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
½ cup white wine
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
1 cup dried apricots, soaked in warm water for 1 hour
½ cup chicken stock
3 bay leaves
Several small clusters of grapes
Garnish: ½ cup rough chopped parsley

steps

Make citrus supremes: Trim the ends of the grapefruit and mandarins, and set flat-side down on a cutting board. Slice off peel and pith and turn each fruit on its side. Cutting along the membranes, remove segments one at a time to a bowl. Once all segments are removed, you can squeeze juice from the remaining membrane and reserve for another use.
Make chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed braising pan over medium-high and add thighs skin-side down. Lower heat to medium and cook until golden brown. Flip thighs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, then transfer to a plate.
Add cinnamon stick, coriander, cardamom, cloves, and star anise to pan and toast before adding onion, garlic, carrots, and fennel. Sauté until onion is translucent, then stir in tomatoes, olives, and wine. Add orange juice and zest, soaked apricots, chicken stock, and bay leaves.
Return chicken thighs to pan and arrange 1 cup each type of supremes and grape clusters on top of chicken. Roast at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, then top with parsley.

Date Published: 10.07.22