Braised Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 5 chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper adjust to taste
• ½ tsp paprika
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 carrots
• 6 celery sticks
• 6 garlic cloves
• ⅓ cup white wine
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth or stock, whichever you have available
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley reserve couple of tablespoons as garnish
• 1 tbsp oregano or marjoram

Directions

• Make sure chicken thighs are thawed and about room temperature. Dry the skin with paper towel. Season thoroughly with sea salt, black pepper and paprika.
• Add a tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in the Dutch Oven, turn heat on to medium. Once butter/oil is shimmery add seasoned chicken and brown thoroughly on both sides, about 4 minutes each side on average.
• As the chicken is browning, chop/dice as best as you can the onion, carrots and celery. Mince the garlic.
• Remove browned chicken once done on both sides and reserve on a platter, cover with a plate to keep warm. Start preheating oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add remaining olive oil on the pot. Add onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Use a wooden spoon to mix as you saute them. It will take few minutes for veggies to soften and onion becomes translucent. Once the bottom of the pot is becoming sticky, then add white wine to deglaze and absorb all the flavors from the chicken and veggies.
• As the wine evaporates, add all purpose flour and remaining butter. Mix to incorporate and give the flour time to toast with the veggies.
• Insert chicken pieces back in by nesting them in the pot in between the veggies. Add chicken broth, oregano or marjoram, chopped flat leaf parsley and any other seasonings of your choice. Check for salt and pepper. Mix as best as you can.
• Add lid on Dutch Oven and place it in the preheated oven. Let everything braise for about 1.5 hrs to about 2 hrs depending on how the chicken is cooking. It needs to hold shape but as you insert a fork, it should fall off the bone.
• Serve braised chicken over rice then mix the broth/gravy and pour some over with a ladle. Enjoy:))