Christopher Kimball Christopher Kimball Milk Street
If you associate chicken with dry, bland childhood dinners, you probably eat boneless, skinless breasts. It does the job, but is inherently flavorless and easy to cook.
That’s why we so often order boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Not only is the darker meat more juicy and flavorful, its higher fat content makes it more tolerable in a skillet. Combine that with a classic, elegant, understated French vibe, and you won’t have to worry if your mom smiled during Mother’s Day dinner.
In this recipe from our book Tuesday Evenings Mediterranean, which features regional dishes during the week, we’re inspired by Artichokes à la barigoule. This classic Provencal roast combines fresh artichoke hearts with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and white wine. In our version, we sear the chicken thighs on the stove, then finish cooking them in the oven. Meanwhile, we used canned artichokes in a plain pargola with carrots, garlic, and onions as a vegetable side dish and a delicious sauce.
To get a nice lemony flavour, we simmer the slices flavored with the artichokes. A Y-shaped vegetable peeler is the best tool for removing the peel from sliced fruit, but try to pick up only the yellow skin, as the white pulp underneath is bitter. In this recipe, soaked artichoke hearts are best avoided. The spices will dominate the other ingredients.
Make sure to serve it with warm, crunchy bread to dip into the sauce. To complete the meal, add a handful of mesclun tomatoes, half a cherry tomato, and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.
Chicken with artichoke and white wine
40 minutes from start to finish: 4
■ 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
■ Kosher salt and ground black pepper
■ 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
■ 3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon divided pieces
■ 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
■ 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch-thick slices
■ 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
■ 1 cup dry white wine
■ 2 14-ounce packages artichokes, drained, quartered if whole
■ Three 3-inch slices of lemon peel plus 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
■ 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
■ ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit with rack in the middle position. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it stops smoking. Add chicken skin and cook, undisturbed, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken skin to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until chicken thighs reach 175°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
While the chicken is roasting, toss and remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. We put the pan on medium heat and melt two tablespoons of butter. Add the onion, carrot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by about half, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the artichokes, lemon peel, and broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and liquid has reduced slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
When the chicken is well done, transfer it using tongs to a plate. Remove the lemon peel from the artichoke mixture and discard it. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir until it melts, then add the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture around the chicken.
