Chicken is the basis for at least one of our meals most weeks. It is so versatile and pretty much all meat eaters love the bird. But if it is bland and dry, then nobody is happy. And this recipe is anything but.
For a brighter winter braise, this recipe turns to floral, sweet-tart oranges and zippy, tannic orange wine. (We did not have orange wine so we used a rosé.) The result: falling-off-the-bone tender chicken and a spoon-coating sauce that keeps you going back for bite after bite. The duo offers a just-right balance of acid and sugar and a hit of fermented complexity that mellows out in the sauce while giving it structure.
Orange wine, simply put, is made from white grapes that have been fermented with their skins (like red wine). The result is a complex drink with deep flavor. It’s a broad category, and flavors can range drastically from bottle to bottle. For this recipe, it is recommended to use something dry to balance out the citrus. Taste before using: If your bottle skews sweet, you can still use it; just omit the sugar from the recipe.
The skin was crispy, the meat juicy, and the sauce was beyond measure!!
Orange-Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1½ tsp. paprika
- 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2ÂĽ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
- 2½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided, plus more
- 2½ lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 6 medium), patted dry
- ÂĽ cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 small oranges, cut into quarters
- 3 small red onions, roots trimmed, with ends left intact, peeled, quartered through root ends
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups orange wine, dry rosé, or tart, high-acid white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- â…“ cup Dijon mustard
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 4 sprigs rosemary, tied together with kitchen twine
Directions
- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Mix 1½ teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal or 1¾ teaspoons Morton kosher salt, and 1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper in a small bowl. Pat 2½ pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 6 medium) dry and sprinkle all over with spice mixture. Set aside.
- Heat ÂĽ cup extra-virgin olive oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook 2 small oranges, cut into quarters, on cut sides until browned and blackened in spots, about 2 minutes per side. (Oil might spatter, so have a lid nearby to place on top if needed.) Transfer oranges to a large plate.
- Add more oil to same pot if dry and cook 3 small red onions, roots trimmed, with ends left intact, peeled, quartered through root ends, on cut sides until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate with oranges. Add 12 garlic cloves, peeled, to pot and cook, stirring often, until browned, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to plate with oranges and onions.
- Working in batches if needed, cook reserved chicken thighs, skin side down, in pot, undisturbed, until deep golden brown underneath and they release easily from pan, 7–9 minutes. Turn skin side up and transfer to a separate plate.
- Cook 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour in pot, stirring constantly, until no dry pockets remain, 30–60 seconds. Gradually pour in 2 cups orange wine, dry rosé, or tart, high-acid white wine, whisking constantly to prevent clumping, then stir in 1 cup fresh orange juice, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, ⅓ cup Dijon mustard, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce is reduced by half and thinly coats a spoon, 8–10 minutes. Taste sauce and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove pot from heat and scatter oranges, onions, and garlic around. Nestle chicken thighs in, skin side up, so they’re about halfway in sauce; (we left ours sitting atop the oranges and onions to insure crispy skin) add 4 sprigs rosemary, tied together with kitchen twine. Roast in oven, uncovered, until chicken is very tender and easily pulls away from bones, about 1 hour.
Recipe by Jesse Szewczyk for Bon Appétit Magazine
Accounting for Taste 