Braised Chicken Thighs
with Artichokes and Spring Peas

 

This springy one-pot braised chicken dish is made with marinated artichokes, sweet peas, shallots, lemon, white wine, and lots of fresh green herbs. I like to sear the chicken thighs and then cook them a little slower in the oven so they become tender, juicy, and shreddable with an internal temp of 195°F. Because I never like to waste any flavor, may I suggest saving that artichoke marinade and using it to make a vinaigrette for a simple green salad to serve alongside? Pair with some crusty bread and a crisp white wine, and you have an exceptional spring dinner ahead of you!

 

Serves 4

  • 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed

  • Kosher salt and pepper

  • 1 Tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil

  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • ¾ cup dry white wine

  • ½ cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

  • 1½ cups drained marinated artichokes 

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch 

  • ½ cup thawed frozen petite peas

  • ¼ cup chopped tender green herbs, such as tarragon, chervil, dill, and/or mint

  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus freshly grated lemon zest for garnish

  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

  • Crusty bread, for serving 

    1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. 

    2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. In an oven-safe 12-inch skillet or braiser, heat the oil until shimmering. Working in batches, brown the chicken thighs skin side down over moderate heat until the skin is golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

    3. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Nestle the chicken thighs in the skillet skin side up (the skin should be above the liquid). Tuck in the marinated artichokes around the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the chicken registers 195°F, 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your thighs. 

    4. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate or platter and cover loosely with foil. Place the skillet over high heat and cook, scraping the sides and bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned bits (be careful not to break up your artichokes too much). Reduce the heat to moderately low. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the peas, lemon juice, and half of the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. 

    5. Remove the skillet from the heat. At this point, you can return the chicken to the skillet and serve directly from the pan, or spoon the sauce around the chicken on a platter. Garnish with fresh lemon zest and the remaining half of the herbs. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve right away, passing crusty bread at the table for mopping up all of the delicious sauce.