Chicken Thighs with Potatoes, Porcini and Dried Cherries (Braised)

Source: Food and Wine May 2015

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp canola oil
• 11 large garlic cloves, 8 whole and 3 crushed
• 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
• ½ cup (½ oz) dried porcini mushrooms
• kosher salt
• 2 lbs. large chicken thighs
• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛″ thick
• ½ cup (about 2 oz) unsweetened dried sour cherries
• celery leaves for garnish

Method

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tsp of oil. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook over low heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 1 hour. Strain the garlic broth into a bowl.

2. In another bowl, whisk 1 cup of the garlic broth with the sour cream and porcini and season with salt; reserve the remaining garlic broth for another use.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Season the chicken with salt and cook over moderate heat until golden all over, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of oil in the skillet.

4. Arrange the potato slices in the pan, overlapping them slightly. Set the chicken skin side down on top of the potatoes. Scatter the cherries and crushed garlic around the chicken and pour the garlic sauce with porcini on top.

5. Roast chicken for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 and roast for about 45 minutes longer, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

6. Preheat the broiler and arrange the rack 6 inches from the heat. Turn the chicken skin side up and broil until the skin is golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Garnish with celery leaves and serve.

Notes

Fabulous recipe!