Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs With Cabbage and Bacon

By Leslie Blythe  ,   ,

January 13, 2021

This Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs With Cabbage and Bacon is simply divine. 
Braising is a technique which highlights the crispy skin and produces the most tender, fall off the bone chicken underneath. The chicken thighs are nestled in a bed of cabbage and bacon. It's all made in one pan for easy cleanup.

  • Prep: 35 mins
  • Cook: 45 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

2½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8 ounces slab bacon or salt pork, cut into ½- by ¼-inch lardons

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 pound finely shredded cabbage (about 1 medium head)

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

½ cup apple cider vinegar

3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

3 tablespoons sugar

2 bay leaves

6 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350° F. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving it until well browned and crisp, about 8 minutes total, lowering heat if it starts to smoke excessively. Flip chicken and brown lightly on the second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate and set aside.

2Add bacon to pan and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add cabbage and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add mustard and vinegar and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add chicken stock, sugar, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer.

3Nestle chicken back into sauté pan, leaving the skin above the liquid but submerging most of the meat. Transfer pan to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken is totally tender and liquid has reduced by about half, about 45 minutes.

4Remove from oven and transfer chicken to a serving platter. Stir butter into sauté pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, spooning cabbage and sauce into shallow bowls and topping with chicken.

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