Israeli Chicken Sofrito
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 55 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
434 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Israeli Chicken Sofrito
Description
This recipe begins by browning chicken thighs skin-side down to develop a rich, crispy texture that seals in juices. Cooking in batches ensures even browning without overcrowding. The rendered oil and cooking residue become the flavor base for the next steps.
Chopped russet and sweet potatoes and sliced onions join the browned chicken in a dutch oven. Spices including paprika and turmeric provide color and subtle earthiness, while garlic powder adds savory notes. Bay leaves infuse aroma during simmering in chicken stock, which tenderizes the chicken and softens the root vegetables.
The one-pot method concentrates flavors and allows the chicken to remain moist while the potatoes and onions absorb spices. This dish is suitable for a filling dinner and pairs well with simple sides or fresh bread.
Using a heavy pot with a lid, such as a dutch oven, helps maintain consistent temperatures and moisture. A slotted spatula aids in handling the browned chicken without breaking the skin.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 russet potato medium; peeled; cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 sweet potato medium; peeled; cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 yellow onion medium; sliced
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 3/4 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 bay leaf
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken thighs by sprinkling them with salt (lightly if it’s kosher chicken), then generously with black pepper.In a heavy pot with a lid (I prefer an enameled Dutch oven), heat olive oil over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Oil should coat the entire bottom of the pot. Place 4 of the chicken thighs into the pan, skin side down, and cook undisturbed for about 7-8 minutes till the skin is dark golden brown (careful, it may splatter a bit!). Do not move the chicken during the initial cooking process; the skin will initially stick to the bottom of the pot, then will loosen as it browns. If the oil begins to smoke a lot, lower the heat a bit and continue to cook. When the skin is brown and crispy, turn and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes till brown.
- Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spatula and set aside. Repeat instructions for the remaining 4 pieces of chicken. Remove chicken from pan and reserve.You should now have plenty of cooking oil/schmaltz in the bottom of your pot. Fry the potato chunks for about 8 minutes, stirring gently 2-3 times during cooking, until potatoes are browned and crisp on the outside. You may need to do this in batches to ensure that the pot is not crowded for even browning. They should be semi-cooked and golden, but not overly soft. Raise heat if needed to make sure they brown evenly on all sides. Remove potatoes from the pot with a slotted spatula and reserve.
- Add sliced onions and ¼ tsp of salt to the oil, stir to coat. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium. Let the onions cook covered for about 10 minutes.
- While the onions are cooking covered in the pot, whisk together the chicken stock, paprika, turmeric, garlic powder and bay leaves to create your cooking liquid. Set aside.
- Uncover the pot and continue to cook the onions over medium high heat, stirring until the onions soften and begin to caramelize. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot as you stir. The longer you cook the onions, the more they will caramelize.
- At this point, you can drain off the excess fat and schmaltz if you wish to cut calories, or you can keep it in the dish to add flavor.Add chicken and cooking liquid to the pot with the onions and bring to a simmer.
- Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for about 60 minutes until the chicken is very tender (you can cook it even longer for a more tender result if you wish). Add the browned potatoes back to the pot and toss to coat with sauce. Raise heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes or until cooking liquid has reduced and potatoes are tender and soak up some of the cooking liquid. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- A 6-quart Dutch oven or a heavy pot with lid is recommended for even cooking.
- Use a slotted spatula to carefully turn and transfer the chicken thighs to keep the skin intact.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 434 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 434kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 142mg | 47% |
| Sodium | 188mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 680mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2665IU | 53% |
| Vitamin C | 5.4mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1.9mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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