BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS

Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Leeks is the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Nothing makes a cold winter night more bearable than a hot and hearty meal made in the oven. Some dishes I love to prepare in the winter are Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Vegetables, Turmeric Braised Chicken with Beets and Leeks, and Baked Chicken Enchiladas.

When it comes to chicken, some many people prefer breasts, but personally I’m a thigh girl all the way. Chicken breasts of course have their place – as breaded cutlets or in chicken salad, but when it comes to braised dishes, dark meat is my first choice because it’s more versatile and forgiving, and bonus, more affordable.

This braised chicken dish starts on the stove, then finishes in the oven, so you’ll want to use a heavy oven proof skillet or dutch oven with a fitted lid. First step is browning the chicken, then you’ll want to saute your aromatics and vegetables. Then the whole dish goes in the oven until the chicken is tender and delicious.

Tommy loved this dish, and asked what made this taste so good. It’s the leeks I told him, and he said we should use them in more dishes. I agree, leeks add something special to dishes, once you know how to cook with them you’ll want to cook with them more. Pictured above, the chicken is served with raw kale tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper.

HOW TO COOK WITH LEEKS

Leeks are delicious and healthy, but it’s important to get rid of the dirt trapped between the layers. You don’t use the whole leek, you just keep the white and light pale green part.

• Cut off the dark green part of the leek, trimming to the part where the color is a pale green.
• Cut off the root end then slice the stalk the lengthwise.
• Run leeks under cold water, separating the layers slightly to help remove any dirt.
• Place the leeks in a bowl of cool water, to let and dirt sink to the bottom, then strain, dry and slice.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:60 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 large or 3 medium leeks, whites only

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

olive oil spray

8 pieces bone-in, skin-off chicken thighs, trimmed, about 40 ounces

1 tablespoon butter

8 ounces white mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoons flour (or gluten-free flour mix)

1 cup chicken broth or water with chicken bouillon

3 tablespoons sherry

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse the leeks well and separate the layers to make sure there is no dirt. Slice into 1/4-inch thick half moons.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the paprika and season all sides of the chicken.

Heat a large Dutch oven or oven safe skillet on high heat. Once hot spritz with olive oil and brown the chicken, in batches on all sides, about 5 minutes on each side, adjusting the heat as needed.

Set aside and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter. When the butter starts to foam, add the leeks and cook, stirring until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt, stir and cook covered 5 minutes, stirring until they release their juices.

Sprinkle the flour over them, stir in the chicken broth and the sherry and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Return the chicken to the Dutch oven, spooning the mushroom-sherry sauce over them and cook in the oven, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes, until cooked through and tender.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Yield: 4 servings, Serving Size: 2 thighs

• Amount Per Serving:
• Freestyle Points: 8
• Points +: 11
• Calories: 445 calories
• Total Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 276.5mg
• Sodium: 852mg
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 59.5g