Braising is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature while sitting in some amount of liquid. These chicken thighs cook in a simple herb-infused tomato and wine sauce that will warm you up on the coldest night! The bone-in thighs give it plenty of hearty flavor, and since you cook them without the skin, it keeps the dish healthy.
Serve chicken and sauce over brown rice with steamed or sautéed broccoli.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon (or turkey bacon)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup dry white or red wine
- Tip: If you prefer, substitute 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth mixed with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice for the wine.
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3¾ pounds), skin removed, trimmed
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool.
- Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, pepper and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add tomatoes and their juice and salt; stir well. Removed from pan.
- Salt and pepper chicken thighs, then add to pan on medium to high heat, lightly browning each side before removing.
- Place chicken in a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Sprinkle the bacon over the chicken. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook until the chicken is very tender, 3-4 hours on Low. Remove the bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
Nutrition
Makes 10 servings
Per serving: 240 calories; 12g fat (3g sat); 2g fiber; 5g carbohydrates; 24g protein; 2g sugars395 mg sodium
Special Thanks and shout out to our friends at Alloy Personal Training in GA for the recipe!