Weeknight Dinner, Solved: This Elevated Chicken Dish is Dressed Up Yet Super Simple
Forget ho-hum chicken dishes – here’s one you’ll savor. It’ll spice up your weekly recipe rotation and free up your prized midweek evenings.
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If you frequently find yourself in the kitchen during the week, odds are you have a few go-to chicken recipes in your rotation. It’s a given; after all, chicken is quick, easy and completely reliable when it comes to filling, satisfying meals. But that also means you’re probably pretty bored with your poultry-based greatest hits.
We have just the thing you need to change up your chicken routine and create a delicious meal.
A chicken recipe that’s simple but feels dressed up
You want something different, an upgrade to standard chicken dishes – but you don’t have tons of time on a weeknight for lots of prep and hands-on cooking. We hear you. That’s why you’ll love our Chicken Thighs with Shallots, Dijon & Herbs.
Chicken thighs are a must-have protein; in fact, you probably have some sitting in your fridge or freezer right now. They can be grilled, oven-baked, slow cooked or made in about a million different ways. The easiest? Toss them in a braise so they can cook hands-free (and give you some time to sit down!).
That’s how you’ll make this deliciously dressed-up dinner. All you have to do is make a simple sauce, put the chicken into it, stick the pan in the oven and let it cook while you get on with your life. The sauce cooks into the chicken and reduces perfectly, infusing moisture and flavor in one easy step. You don’t even have to pick or prep the herbs; just tuck whole thyme springs and a bay leaf into the sauce before it goes into the oven, and you’re done.
Plus, there’s a hidden healthy perk to this chicken recipe. It features shallots and garlic, both of which are members of the allium family of vegetables. Alliums are anti-inflammatory, heart healthy and may even help fight off certain types of cancer. And they add tons of flavor to the dish, without blowing your whole grocery budget.
Speaking of budget, the bone-in, skin-on thighs in this recipe are cheaper than boneless, skinless chicken breasts – and we think more flavorful, too. If you like crispy skin, you can stick the cooked chicken under the broiler, skin sides up, for a minute or two before serving.
Chicken Thighs with Shallots, Dijon & Herbs
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, thoroughly patted dry
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee
- 6 large shallots, peeled and quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Melt the ghee in a large, ovenproof skillet set over medium heat. Add the shallots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender and beginning to caramelize in spots, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in mustard and sauté for 1 minute.
- Pour in the wine and broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Turn off the heat and place the seasoned chicken pieces in the skillet, skin-side up. Tuck in the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until chicken is well browned and an instant-read thermometer stuck into thickest part (away from the bone) reads 165oF, about 45-50 minutes.
- Transfer chicken and shallots to a large platter. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Place skillet over medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces by half, about 4-5 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon some sauce over the chicken and serve.