Chicken Thigh Osso Bucco (Printer-friendly)
Braised chicken thighs in tomato and white wine with aromatic soffritto, lemon zest and parsley.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large onion, finely diced
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
→ Liquids
09 - 1 cup dry white wine
10 - 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
→ Pantry & Spices
11 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free alternative)
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1 tsp salt
14 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
15 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
16 - 1 bay leaf
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge each thigh lightly in flour, shaking off any excess.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, approximately 4 minutes per side, until a golden crust forms. Remove and set aside on a plate.
03 - In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the dry white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
07 - Remove the lid for the final 15 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken to your desired consistency.
08 - Stir in the lemon zest and chopped parsley just before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot over polenta, mashed potatoes, or alongside crusty bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce basically builds itself while you go about your evening, and it tastes like you spent far more effort than you actually did.
- Chicken thighs are infinitely more forgiving than veal, so you can accidentally overcook them a bit and still end up with something tender and wonderful.
02 -
- Do not skip drying the chicken before flouring it or the coating turns gummy and slides right off in the pan instead of forming that gorgeous crust.
- I once forgot the bay leaf and spent the whole meal wondering what was missing, and it taught me that small, quiet ingredients often carry the soul of a dish.
03 -
- Tuck a couple of anchovy fillets into the soffritto and let them melt into the oil before adding the vegetables, and you will never taste fish but everyone will ask what your secret is.
- A splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end adds a depth that makes the sauce taste like it cooked twice as long as it actually did.