Crispy Chicken with Spring Braised Vegetables

Tags

chicken, chicken thighs, community, dinner, entree, Food, Foodie, gay, Lesbian, Lesbians, love, recipe, Relationship, relationships, vegetables

Background: Another one of T’s go to recipe goddesses is Laura Vitale of “Laura in the Kitchen”. T has tried many of Laura’s recipes and she has never once been disappointed. This easy but delicious and comforting recipe is one of our favorites. We promise it will not disappoint!

What it is: Laura Vitale’s Crispy Chicken With Spring Braised Vegetables.

Link to recipe: http://www.laurainthekitchen.com/all/episode.php?episodenumber=364&screen=6&sortby=a

Serves 8

Ingredients:
8 Pieces of Skin-on Bone-in Chicken Thighs
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
6 Large Shallots, peeled and quartered
1 Bunch of Asparagus
3 Large Carrots, Peeled and Sliced on a diagonal
2 Medium Zucchini, sliced thick on a diagonal or ½ pound of baby Zucchini
1 cup of Fresh Shelled Peas or frozen defrosted spinach if you cant find fresh
1 Tbsp of Butter
1 Tbsp of All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp of Dill, chopped
2 Tbsp of Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 tsp of Lemon Zest
10 Large Button Mushrooms, halved
½ cup White Wine
1 ½ cups of Chicken Stock

Process:

1) Preheat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat, add the oil and let that get nice and hot.

2) Pat dry your chicken and season on both sides with salt and pepper, place it skin side down in the hot oil and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until deeply golden brown, turn them over and cook them for another 7 to 8 minutes or until fully cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. If you want to cook your chicken for less time in the pot, just finish cooking it in a 400 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until fully cooked through.

3) In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, carrots, zucchini, asparagus and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and allow them to cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until they have begun to develop color and gotten tender.

4) Add the butter and sprinkle over the flour over the veggies, give everything a nice stir as it cooks for about 30 seconds.

5) Increase the heat to high and add the white wine, let it cook and reduce for about 1 to 2 minutes.

6) Add the chicken stock and peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until it has reduced and the chicken stock has thickened.

7) Turn the heat off and add in the lemon zest, parsley and dill.

To plate, place the braised veggies in a shallow bowl and top with 1 piece of the crispy chicken. Serve immediately!

The Verdict: Yummy! Laura often forgets something in her written recipe that she includes in her video tutorial, so any time we review one of her recipes, make sure to read and watch the video. We think this is a very hearty and comforting Sunday dinner kind of a meal. M is not a big fan of dark meat but the sauce that the crispy chicken thighs are nesting in, is so delicious that you really don’t care which part of the chicken you are eating. The crispy chicken skin is divine and lends a needed crunch to the meal. This is a recipe that will soon be a staple in your household. We did substitute red potatoes sliced in half and boiled in a separate salted pot until they were mostly cooked (not quite done) and then added at the peas part of the process to finish cooking. We are not zucchini fans but this is the type of recipe that you can use whatever you have on hand. For us we preferred the potatoes and it made it feel even more comforting; like a stew. We also added one medium spanish onion roughly chopped (thick enough so that they won’t overcook). T loves her onions! Whenever a recipe suggests a white wine, our go to is a chardonnay. The wine doesn’t have to be expensive, just make sure you like the taste of it, so that the flavor addition is a desired one. If you don’t like the taste of the wine, it is really pointless to add it. We suggest playing around with different wines to find your favorite and then make that the wine you always use in your recipes. Plus, it is a good excuse to enjoy a glass of wine! We also served it with a glass of the same chardonnay (see picture below).

Ready for the food porn:

Suggestions: Start trying (drinking) those wines and find what works for your family’s palate. Also, experiment with different vegetables in this and let us know in the comments what you thought of this recipe and what you used in it. You can also email us at two.lesbians.eating.out@gmail.com to let us know what you think or for questions.

Check out Laura Vitale’s Youtube channel for other great recipes: https://www.youtube.com/user/LauraVitalesKitchen?feature=watch

We hope you enjoy!

~ T & M