Tender Braised Chicken Thighs with Spring Peas and Mint

Crispy skin on the outside, tender braised meat on the inside, with a flavorful broth accented by wine.

TENDER BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SPRING PEAS AND MINT

Meats braised to tender perfection is one of my favorite things on this planet. They’re often so forgiving and easy too, and this is no exception. 

Yield: 4-6 servings

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1h

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 skin on, bone-in chicken thighs (2-3lbs)

• 1 Tbsp ground cumin

• ½ Tbsp ground coriander

• 1 star anise

• 3 large or 4 small leeks

• 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin

• 1 lemon, zest peeled off into strips

• 2 bay leaves

• ½ c. dry white wine

• 1¼ c. low sodium chicken broth

• 1-2 c. fresh or frozen (and thawed) green peas

• 1 c. mint leaves, roughly chopped

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

RECIPE:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix salt, cumin, and coriander in a small bowl. 

2. Dry chicken thighs with a paper towel, and sprinkle generously all over with spice mix.

3. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place chicken skin side down and sear for 4 minutes, until skin gets nice and crispy. Flip chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes more until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.

4. Add leeks and garlic to pan and saute in the chicken fat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add lemon and bay leaves and toast for 20 seconds.

5. Add wine and quickly scrape up any browned bits. Cook off the alcohol from the wine, about 3 minutes before adding broth. Bring to a simmer and add chicken, skin side up, back to the skillet. 

6. Bake in the oven until thighs register 155-160 internal, about 15-20 minutes. Add chicken to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes.

7. While chicken rests, add peas to the skillet and cook until bright green, 1-3 minutes. Toss in minte and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

8. Serve!