Braised Italian Chicken Thighs

Made from economical chicken thighs and a few pantry items, braised Italian chicken thighs is a basic weeknight recipe in my kitchen. Healthy comfort food made easy. Pick up chicken thighs and mushrooms at the store. From your pantry, use canned tomatoes and artichoke hearts, olive oil, garlic and onions. Fresh herbs are nice as a garnish, but you can use dried herbs for the cooking. A dried Italian blend is nice, but you can use basil, oregano, even thyme or rosemary.

Braised Italian Chicken Thighs

Braising is a classic, two step method of cooking. Sear or brown for good color, then simmer for flavor and tenderness. Part of the time is hands off cooking, so you can get the rest of the meal ready. Cook some noodles and toss a salad to balance things out.

Start by browning chicken thighs, skin side down, until golden. Remove from the pan. Sauté onion and garlic, then add artichoke hearts. Cook for a few minutes, then add tomatoes, mushrooms, broth and wine (if using) and herbs. Add chicken back into pan, cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.

Serve Over Noodles of Choice

Choose either whole wheat noodles, brown rice noodles for a gluten-free option (Jovial pasta is terrific), or zucchini noodles. For directions on how to make zucchini noodles, read this post. Another option – try combining half pasta noodles with half zucchini noodles.

Buying Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs come large and small. I’ve purchased 4 larger ones at 1 1/2 pounds, and 5 smaller ones for 1 1/3 pounds. It just depends on what is at the store. You’ll have to eye it.

Tools Note

Choose a pan wide enough that you can get all of the chicken thighs in a single layer and deep enough that you can add the rest of the ingredients without it bubbling over. You will also need a tight fitting lid.

This post was shot in a 3 1/2 quart Le Creuset brasier (my new toy!). I’ve also made it in a 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. You could also use a pan like the All Clad 4 quart Weeknight Pan. 

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Italian Braised Chicken Thighs

Hearty, easy, healthy and satisfying. With chicken thighs and a few pantry items you can have this satisfying dish on the table in no time.  Serve over brown rice noodles, whole wheat noodles or zucchini noodles. If not using wine in cooking, increase broth to 1 1/4 cups. As chicken thighs vary in size, you may have to eye it at the market and choose pieces over the weight. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 6 ounces quartered artichoke hearts about half a can, drained
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried herbs Italian blend, oregano, or basil
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup red wine optional, or use more broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes 15 ounces
• 8 ounces small mushrooms halved or quartered
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley or oregano optional
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan optional, skip for dairy-free

Instructions

1. Trim excess fat and skin from chicken thighs. Season chicken with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Heat olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer over medium heat. Use a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven, 3 1/2 quart brasier, or 3-4 quart saute pan. Add the chicken skin side down and cook until the skin has a golden crust. Remove the chicken to a plate or rimmed baking pan.
2. Add onion to the pan. You should hear a light sizzle when the onion hits the surface. Cook onion until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat down if needed so the onion does not burn. Add the artichokes hearts, garlic, dried herbs, and red pepper and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and broth and cook 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir to mix them in.Nestle the chicken thighs into the vegetables and add the mushrooms. Turn the heat up until the pan is bubbling. Place the lid on the pan, turn heat to low and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°, about 20 minutes. Serve over noodles of choice and sprinkle with fresh herbs and Parmesan (if using).

Recipe Notes

This recipe doubles easily, be sure you have a large enough pan to get them all in one layer.