Braised Chicken Thighs

Cider Braised Chicken

4 chicken leg quarters

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 - 6 carrots - roughly chopped

1 onion - chopped

5 cloves garlic - sliced

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons dried thyme

3 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons butter

• Preheat oven to 350°
• In a large enameled cast-iron pot, heat olive oil. 
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down. 
• Cook over moderately high heat, in batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
• Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat in pot.
• Add carrots, garlic and onion - cook over low heat until tender - 5 minutes.
• Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
• Add  cider vinegar and stir, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of the pot. Bring sauce to a boil and cook until thickened, 3 minutes.
• Add broth, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Nestle the chicken in sauce, skin side up. Transfer pot to oven and braise chicken for about 50 minutes, until cooked through.
• Remove pot from oven and preheat to broil. 
• Transfer chicken to a baking sheet, skin side up. Broil on middle rack of the oven until skin is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Simmer sauce over moderate heat until reduced to about 1/2 - 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Return the chicken to the casserole, skin side up, and serve.
• Special thanks to a a southern-soul.