Time: 45 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4

The technique of cooking in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop and then in the oven is the secret to juicy chicken thighs with incredibly crispy skin. If you don't have time to make a sauce, the chicken will be delicious without it (just serve the thighs straight from the oven). But for a restaurant-quality finish, try making a sauce made with butter and white wine, known in French cuisine as beurre blanc (beurre blanc).

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 1 kg)
• 1/3 cup champagne vinegar
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 220 g unsalted butter, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped chives

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

chicken thighs, white wine, cream, shallots, lemon juice, bay leaf

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Preheat oven to 230°C. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with 1.5 teaspoons of salt and black pepper.
Step 2
• Heat a large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin side down, and cook, moving them once or twice to ensure even browning, until the skin is golden brown, 11 to 12 minutes.
Step 3
• Turn off the heat. Use tongs to grab a wad of paper towels and wipe away any excess grease from the bottom of the pan (this will prevent grease from splattering all over the oven); carefully discard the paper towel. Repeat several times until only a thin film of grease remains on the bottom of the pan.
Step 4
• Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the chicken is almost cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Turn the thighs skin-side up and continue baking until done, another 6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken thighs skin-side up to a plate. Wipe the skillet dry and set aside.
Step 5
• Meanwhile, start preparing the sauce..
  
  In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, combine the vinegar, wine, shallot, lemon juice, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat until the mixture forms a wet paste, 8-10 minutes. Add the cream and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
Step 6
• Reduce the heat to low and remove the bay leaf. Add a few pieces of butter and stir constantly until melted, then add a few more pieces and stir again until melted. Continue adding and stirring the butter until the sauce is smooth, about 4 minutes. The sauce should not exceed 130°F (55°C) or it will separate. If the sauce begins to separate, remove it from the heat, add 2 ice cubes, and stir until smooth again.
Step 7
• Season the sauce with 0.5 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Pour it into a cast-iron skillet, place the chicken on top, and sprinkle the entire dish with chives. Serve immediately.

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