Braised Chicken
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Braised Chicken – Chicken thighs with crispy skin braised in white wine, chicken broth, and carrots until the meat falls off the bone and the sauce tastes like you worked real hard. You really didn’t!
We all love chicken thighs, but there’s something about braising them that just feels right. When you hear about braising something it almost makes you scared to try because you think it takes a very long time. But it’s really very easy to make. There are basically only a couple steps. You sear the chicken and the veggies, and then the oven does all the heavy lifting.
The result is a one pan dinner that’s incredibly delicious with crispy chicken thighs braised low and slow in a rich white wine sauce with mushrooms and carrots. This is a simple rustic dish that tastes impressive. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a fancy Sunday supper.
Ingredients in Braised Chicken
Here’s what you need to make this Braised Chicken.
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs: Leave the bone in and skin on because this is what we need for braising. Breasts can work too but thighs have more fat and more flavor. Chicken breasts tend to dry out during braising while thighs stay nice and juicy.
- Dry white wine: You’ll need a good white wine with good acidity like Sauvignon Blanc because it’s crisp and dry and it deglazes beautifully. A close second would be a Pinot Grigio which is lighter and more neutral but still great for braising. Unoaked Chardonnay also works. Avoid anything sweet or off dry like Riesling or Moscato because they will make the sauce sweet.
- Tomato Paste: One tablespoon is all you need but it’s really important to add it because it adds depth and richness to the sauce. You want to make sure to cook it in the pan for a full minute before the wine goes in, otherwise it will taste raw and sharp.
- Chicken broth: Always low sodium or no sodium. We’re already seasoning the chicken so we don’t need extra salt.
- Mushrooms and Carrots: Cremini or white mushrooms will both work. Add these before the chicken goes back in the pan so they braise alongside it for the full 40 minutes.
- Bay leaf: This is an underestimated herb but perfect in braising because it will add floral and herbal depth to the sauce. Just make sure to remove it before serving, nobody wants to bite into that.
How To Make Braised Chicken
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. This is my most important tip, if you don’t pat them dry, the thighs will not end up crisp. You want that golden crust.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin side down and leave them alone for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. The chicken is not cooked through yet and that is fine.
In the same pan, cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and stir for a full minute. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes while scraping up everything from the bottom of the pan.
Add the chicken broth, thyme, paprika, and bay leaf. Stir in the carrots and mushrooms. Return the chicken to the pan skin side up, nestled into the vegetables with the skin sitting above the liquid.
Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove the bay leaf. Spoon sauce over the chicken and finish with fresh parsley.
Troubleshooting
The skin is not crispy after braising: This can happen if you fully submerge the thighs in liquid during braising. Make sure the skin is above the liquid for the entire oven time.
The sauce is too thin: Remove the chicken and vegetables and simmer the liquid on the stovetop over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until it reduces to the consistency you want. The gelatin from the bones will help it thicken naturally as it reduces. Do not add flour or cornstarch unless you have reduced the sauce first and it is still not thickening.
The chicken is dry: It was overcooked or the braising liquid was too low. Check the chicken at 35 minutes. It should read 165°F at the thickest part. Also make sure there was enough liquid to create a humid environment in the covered pan. If the pan was not fully covered the chicken steamed unevenly and dried out on the exposed parts.
What to Serve with Braised Chicken
Mashed potatoes are ideal here. The braising sauce spoons over mashed potatoes like a gravy and every bite has everything in it. Creamy polenta is equally good and arguably more elegant. Crusty bread to mop the pan is non negotiable regardless of what else is on the table. A simple green salad on the side is all you need to round out the meal.
Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Polenta
No Knead Bread
Arugula Salad
Storing and Reheating
Fridge: Store in an airtight container with the braising liquid for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. The skin will soften overnight which is the one honest downside of braised chicken.
Reheating: Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth.
Freezing: This braised chicken also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. The flavor only improves with time.
Try These Chicken Recipes Next
- Roasted Chicken And Vegetables
- Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Chicken Rice Bake
- Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken
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Braised Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 medium carrots (sliced)
- 5 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Season the 6 chicken thighs evenly with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper on both sides.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin side down and sear for about 5 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes, then remove the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the onions.
- Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and let it simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1 bay leaf.
- Add the 1 ½ cups sliced carrots and 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir to combine.
- Return the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up, making sure they are partially submerged in the liquid. Cover and transfer the pan to the oven. Braise for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Equipment
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before searing. Wet skin steams instead of crisps. Dry it well, get the oil hot, lay the thighs skin side down, and leave them alone for 5 to 7 minutes. The skin will release from the pan on its own when it is ready. Do not touch it before then.
- Cook the tomato paste for a full minute before adding the wine. Tomato paste added straight to liquid tastes raw and sharp. One minute in the hot pan caramelizes it and adds a deep savory richness to the sauce. Small step, big difference.
- Keep the chicken skin side up for the entire braise. Skin sitting in liquid goes soft and loses everything we built in the sear. The skin needs to stay above the liquid so the oven heat keeps it crisp. If the liquid level looks too high before the pan goes in, pour a little out.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we make Braised Chicken ahead of time?
Yes and it’s so much better the next day. The chicken absorbs more of the braising liquid overnight and the flavors deepen. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate, skim any solidified fat from the surface, and reheat gently before serving. This is one of the best make ahead dinners we have.
Can we use a slow cooker instead of the oven?
Yes. Sear the chicken and build the sauce on the stovetop as directed, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or High for 3 to 4 hours. The skin will not stay crispy in a slow cooker. If you want crispy skin, finish the thighs under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes after slow cooking.
Do we have to use an oven safe pan?
No. Sear and build the sauce in any pan, then transfer everything to a baking dish or Dutch oven before going into the oven. You will lose some of the fond in the transfer but the dish will still be excellent.
Can we add potatoes to the braise?
Yes. Baby potatoes halved or regular potatoes cut into chunks go in alongside the carrots and mushrooms. They will be fully tender after 35 to 40 minutes and make this a complete one pan meal with nothing else needed on the side. Except the bread. Always the bread.
