5 from 3 votes
Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives, Lemon, and Fennel
Thomas Keller's recipe for braised chicken thighs is super flavorful and impressive enough for guests.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
6
servings
Calories:
559 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
French, American
Ingredients
- 3 fennel bulb
- 12 chicken thighs
- kosher salt
- canola oil
- 1 cup onion coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- ¼ cup white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, dry
- 1 cup Ascolane olives such as Cerignola, or other large green olives
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 bay leaves fresh or dried, 2 leaves
- 4 lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler, strips
- 8 thyme sprigs
- 1 cup chicken stock
- flat-leaf parsley leaves, about ¼ cup
Instructions
- Cut off fennel stalks. Trim bottom of bulbs and peel back the layers until you reach the core; reserve the core for another use. Discard any bruised layers, and cut the fennel into 2-by-½-inch batons. You need 3 cups fennel for this recipe; reserve any remaining fennel for another use.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet.
- Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Heat some canola oil in a large ovenproof saute pan or roasting rack that will hold all the thighs in one layer over medium-high heat. Add thighs skin-side down and brown on the skin side, about 4 minutes. Turn thighs over and cook for about 1 minute to sear the meat. Transfer to the cooling rack.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add onion to the pan, and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel, turn heat up to medium, and cook, stirring often, until fennel is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
- Pour in wine and simmer for about 2 minutes to burn off alcohol. Stir in olives, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, lemon zest, and thyme, then pour in chicken stock. Increase heat, bring liquid to a simmer, and cook until fennel is tender, about 1 minute.
- Taste the stock and season with salt as needed. Return chicken to the pan skin-side-up, in a single layer. When the liquid returns to a simmer, transfer to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- Turn on the broiler, and put pan under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp and brown the skin. Remove from oven, and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with parsley leaves.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Adapted from Ad Hoc at Home
Nutrition Information
Calories
559kcal
(28%)
Carbohydrates
13g
(4%)
Protein
37g
(74%)
Fat
41g
(63%)
Saturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Cholesterol
140mg
(47%)
Sodium
492mg
(21%)
Potassium
1126mg
(24%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 559
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 559kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 41g | 63% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 140mg | 47% |
| Sodium | 492mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 1126mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.