Braised Chicken With Tomato Pancetta And Zinfandel Food

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS AND LEGS WITH TOMATO

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. Arrange the chicken thighs and legs on a tray in a single layer and season them with salt, to taste. Turn the pieces on their other side and season again. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, carefully add the chicken to the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Resist the temptation to move or turn the pieces. Allow them to brown on their first side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use metal tongs to turn the chicken pieces to sear their second side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a tray and set it aside.
• In the same skillet, add the cumin seeds and chili flakes, stirring rapidly to give them a quick toast, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and stir to combine. Season the ingredients with salt, to taste, then add the tomatoes, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to cook and all the flavors to come together, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan, keep the heat low and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. (Chef's note: If the sauce becomes overly thick or begins to stick to the bottom of the skillet, feel free to add some water, about 1/2 cup at a time.)
• When the chicken is cooked through, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve alongside the braised cabbage, if desired.

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, PANCETTA AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
• In a large oven-proof skillet, warm oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Add chicken to skillet. Sear, turning only occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon oil.
• Add garlic, anchovy and red pepper flakes to skillet; fry 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and basil. Cook, breaking up tomatoes with a spatula, until sauce thickens somewhat, about 10 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken is no longer pink, about 30 minutes.
• Scatter bocconcini or mozzarella pieces over skillet. Adjust oven temperature to broil. Return skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully to see that it does not burn). Garnish with pancetta and chopped basil before serving.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATO, PANCETTA AND ZINFANDEL

Steps:

• Strain the mushroom liquid through dampened cheesecloth into a bowl. Set aside. Rinse the chicken pieces with cold water, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. Place a Dutch oven or large fry pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom. When the oil is almost smoking, add the chicken, skin side down, in one layer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until browned, about 8 minutes, then turn and brown on the other side, about 8 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat. Return the pan to medium-low heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring, until the pancetta crisps, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and sage and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer briefly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Add the tomatoes and the porcini and their liquid. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add a little water if the sauce is too dry. Preheat an oven to 200°F. Return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer gently, turning the pieces once in the sauce, until tender, about 15 minutes. As the pieces are done, transfer them to a heatproof serving platter kept in the oven. (The breasts may be done first.) If the sauce is thin, increase the heat to high and simmer until thickened. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the parsley. Serve immediately.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH TOMATOES, PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add a film of olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and then add to the pan skin-side down. Cook without moving too much until golden brown and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Drain half of the fat from the pan and then place it back over the heat. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it up as you add it. Brown for 1 to 2 minutes while continuing to break it up with the back of a spoon. Stir in the onions, peppers and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano, scraping the bottom of the pan for brown bits.
• Nestle the chicken back in, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Stir in the vinegar and parsley and serve.

SUMMER BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Throw in the shallots and soften, then remove and set aside. Season the chicken, turn up the heat and add to the pan with the remaining oil, browning all over. Return the shallots to the dish, pour over the stock and add the garlic, thyme, tomatoes, beans and chilli. Bring to the boil, cover and put in the oven for 30 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid and cook for 10 mins more to reduce the sauce.
• Meanwhile, pour the polenta into 700ml boiling water while whisking. Cook for 2 mins (or according to pack instructions). Season generously, remove from the heat and stir through the Parmesan and butter. Serve the polenta with the chicken on top, scattered with basil.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, CUMIN AND FETA

Steps:

• Pat the chicken dry, trim away excess fat, then season well all over with salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons cumin.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy 12-inch skillet over medium until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. (It's OK if they are a little snug; they will shrink as they cook.) Cook without moving until the skin is crispy and easily releases from the pan, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use tongs to turn over and cook until the bottom is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes more, then transfer to a plate.
• Add the onions to the rendered chicken fat in the skillet, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon cumin and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the harissa and let cook for about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, and season with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high, then adjust the temperature to maintain an active simmer. Cook until it becomes a deeper red color, about 5 minutes more.
• Add any juices that collected on the plate, stir to mix, then nestle in the chicken thighs, skin-side up, so that the skin is above the sauce. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, then partly cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. (If you'd like crispier skin, pop the chicken under the broiler for a minute or two.)
• Garnish with the feta and cilantro and serve with bread or herbed rice.