braised chardonnay chicken with bay and fig

Name: Braised Chardonnay Chicken with Bay and Fig
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter; 6 large chicken thighs with bone and skin, or 12 small thighs, about 4 lbs total; 1 small bay leaf for each chicken thigh, 6-12 total; 1 1/4 teaspoon(s) kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon(s) coarse black pepper; ## FOR THE VEGETABLES; 3 tablespoon(s) fat from the browned chicken pieces; 1 large onion, quartered and sliced; 1 cup(s) peeled carrot, halved lenghtwise, sliced thin, about 4 small or 2 large; 7 large cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt; 1 cup(s) chardonnay wine; ## THE FIGS; 1 cup(s) blonde figs, dried, quartered, about 4-5 oz.

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Garrison Wayne

La Quinta, CA

Updated on Aug 16, 2015

I don't think anything is as good and satisfying as braised chicken. The flavors are all melded together for a very comforting meal. I made this with very large chicken thighs, but you can use double the amount of smaller pieces. I give directions for a slow bake. I do that for two reasons. 1. It just tastes better that way. 2. You can assemble this well in advance of your dinner guests' arrival, and that's a good thing. If you are in a hurry, you can bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or 1 hour 15 minutes. This is a very wonderful, not spicy, way to present braised chicken.

Rate

These Chicken Thighs with Fig are baked well in advance of your company's arrival. That is a good thing, for sure!....and they are delicious.

prep time 50 Min

cook time 3 Hr 30 Min

method Bake

yield 6 serving(s)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large chicken thighs with bone and skin, or 12 small thighs, about 4 lbs total
1 small bay leaf for each chicken thigh, 6-12 total
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
FOR THE VEGETABLES
3 tablespoons fat from the browned chicken pieces
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 cup peeled carrot, halved lenghtwise, sliced thin, about 4 small or 2 large
7 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chardonnay wine
THE FIGS
1 cup blonde figs, dried, quartered, about 4-5 oz.

How To Make braised chardonnay chicken with bay and fig

Step 1

Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Place a bay leaf on the skin side of each thigh. Heat the butter in a large saute/fry pan over med/hi heat. Brown the chicken , skin and bay leaf down, for about 7 minutes. Flip over and brown the other side. Make sure when you flip that the bay leaf stays on the skin side. It will now be facing up.

Step 2

When chicken is sufficiently browned, transfer to an rectangular baker, with the skin and bay leaf facing up. Salt and Pepper.
Step 3

Dump the fat from the pan into a heat proof bowl and measure back 3 tablespoons. Heat over medium/hi heat. Add the onion and carrot and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
Step 4

Add the 1/2 tsp salt and wine. Turn heat up to high and boil until almost no liquid remains.
Step 5

Distribute the vegetables evenly around the chicken pieces.
Step 6

Scatter the figs evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
Step 7

Cover tightly with heavy duty foil. Bake in a slow oven 275 degrees for 3 1/2 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes. Place some green beans or asparagus on top.
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