Braised Chicken Thighs

Chicken dinners are our bread and butter here at Delish, but these braised chicken thighs are truly something special. They’re fall-off-the-bone tender, extremely flavorful, and go with an endless amount of sides. The best part? You only need one pan to cook them! If you’re looking for an easy dinner that tastes like you spent a day prepping in the kitchen, then keep reading on for all of my top tips on how to make this weeknight staple:

What People Are Saying:
“I forgot to season the chicken but didn’t need it- the sauce has so much flavor! And the chicken so tender yet crisp at the top. My whole family loved this and was quite an easy recipe!” - Orange8Ball

“We loved this! It was even better the next day!” - PurpleBeer

How To Make Braised Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil has a high smoke point, which makes it perfect for getting a nice sear on our chicken thighs.
• Chicken Thighs: Look for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. I use around 6, but depending on the size of your chicken thighs, you may have one less or more.
• Shallots: Shallots will cook down beautifully in our sauce, adding so much flavor and texture to the final bite. I recommend opting for shallots instead of a yellow or red onion—they have a more mild flavor.
• Ginger & Garlic: Garlic is a flavor superstar in countless of our recipes, and is joined by ginger here for a fragrant, spiced flavor.
• Sake: You can use sake or a dry white wine in this recipe—either will do!
• Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce: Do not, I repeat, do not, use full-sodium soy sauce. Your final dish will be far too salty if you do.
• Granulated Sugar: Some granulated sugar doesn’t make our sauce overly sweet, but it will balance all of our other flavors with a hint of sweetness.
• Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is wonderful for adding a toasted, almost nutty flavor. Definitely don’t add more than what is called for—a little goes a long way.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, arrange a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat it to 425°. Then, in a large, deep, ovenproof skillet, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Season both sides of your chicken thighs well with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet skin-side down. Cook, turning the chicken halfway through, until deeply golden—this should take around 6 minutes per side. Once done, transfer to a plate while you prepare the sauce.

In the same skillet, cook your shallots, ginger, and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, while stirring, until they are fragrant. Then, add the wine and cook until reduced by about half, making sure you’re stirring frequently. Once reduced, add the water, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken skin-side up back into the skillet, tucking them between the shallots.

Transfer the skillet to the oven to braise the chicken uncovered. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°—this should take around 35 minutes, but keep an eye on it. Once done, transfer the chicken to a platter, and return the skillet to high heat. Cook the sauce while stirring occasionally until it has thickened. This should take around 3 minutes, but again, keep an eye on it. Once done, pour the sauce and sesame oil over the chicken, then top with sesame seeds and scallions before serving.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What is braising exactly? It’s a two-step cooking process that involves an initial fry (or sear) followed by slow simmer in a liquid like wine or broth. The result is extremely tender meat with a flavorful crust. Basically, it’s the best of both worlds!

What To Serve With Braised Chicken Thighs

I love to serve these thighs over fluffy, white rice to soak up that delicious sauce, but I also think this would go great with some bok choy or roasted asparagus.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, they should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months.