Looking for a new chicken thigh recipe? This one, from Sandy Sonnenfelt of Market Hall in Oakland and Berkeley, starts with mild olive oil for searing the chicken in the pan and finishes with a delectable sauce made from stock, lemon juice, honey and ground almonds. The spice mix you use on the chicken features coriander, smoky paprika picante, ginger, salt and pepper. You’ll want to put it on everything.
Braised Chicken Thighs with Almonds, Honey & EVOO
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Las Hermanas Pimentón de La Vera DOP (Picante)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns, divided
6 bone-in chicken thighs, approximately 2½ pounds
1 cup blanched almonds
2 tablespoons mild California Olive Oil Council-certified extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
One large white onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Spanish saffron, slightly crushed
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup mild honey
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnishing
Directions
Mix the ground coriander, picante, ground ginger, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Place the chicken thighs on a rimmed sheet pan or in a baking dish. Rub the chicken thighs with the spice mix on both sides. Cover, refrigerate and let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
Roast and prepare the almonds: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the blanched almonds in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Place half the almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are the texture of coarse sand. Transfer the ground almonds to a bowl and set aside, along with the whole roasted almonds.
Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and sauté until they soften and begin to turn golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed saffron and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, scrapping up any browned bits on the bottom. Allow the alcohol to cook off, about 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, honey, reserved ground almonds and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the browned chicken thighs back to the pot, nestling them into the sauce, skin side up. Cook uncovered until the chicken thighs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, 25 to 30 minutes.
If the sauce is too thin, transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Increase the heat to medium and reduce the sauce until it thickens to desired consistency, 5 to 7 minutes.
To serve, stir the chopped cilantro into the sauce. Spoon the finished sauce into a serving dish. Top with the chicken thighs and finish with the reserved roasted whole almonds and more chopped cilantro, if desired.
— Recipe courtesy of Sandy Sonnenfelt, Market Hall Foods
