Lemon, Orange, and Olive Braised Chicken

| Share Blog |

Crisp skin and soft meat are achieved by searing the chicken on the stovetop and then cooking it in the oven. When you combine the rich thighs with sharp citrus and salty olives, you have a well-balanced dish.

Ingredients

-1 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (7 oz.)
a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt
3 navel oranges, medium size
1 large leek, cut, quartered and split into 12-inch pieces after being rinsed
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips 3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper, crushed
8 wedges of 1 small Meyer or ordinary lemon
5 sprigs of thyme, plus thyme leaves to garnish
8 Castelvetrano with pits

Directions

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a deep 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the skillet skin side down. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until chicken skin is browned and crisp.

Step 2 :

Juice 2 oranges into a bowl in the meantime. 8 wedges from the leftover orange

Step 3:

Transfer the chicken to a platter, skin side up; do not clean the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, and scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release browned pieces until leek begins to soften about 4 minutes. Cook, stirring regularly, until the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper are very aromatic about 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon wedges, saved orange wedges, thyme sprigs, and olives.

Step 4:

Place the chicken, skin side up, in the skillet, making sure that all of the chicken is touching the bottom. Fill skillet with saved orange juice and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and leek is extremely soft. Thyme sprigs should be removed and discarded. Serve with thyme leaves as a garnish.