The stylist’s version of this simple yet refined main course is a crowd-pleaser.
Born in Baltimore, Marcus Cuffie grew up surrounded by art. Soon, New York City came calling and Cuffie answered. Today, he is the new it-stylist for editorial shoots. In-between long hours on set and off-days mixing with the city’s fashion milieu, Cuffie turns to dishes, like his braised chicken thigh recipe, that offer the comfort of home. “It never ceases to kind of wow people when I make it, so it's always in my pocket,” he says.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), trimmed of any excess skin or fat
- 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in a bundle or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Steamed potatoes, for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the Creole seasoning and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Place the ½ cup flour in a small bowl, and dredge both sides of each thigh in the flour, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a 10 to 12-inch flameproof casserole or saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, and when it has melted, place the chicken skin side down in the pan. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, and when it has melted, add the onions, garlic thyme bundle or rosemary sprigs, remaining ½ teaspoon then whisk in the chicken stock and increase the heat to high.
- Return the chicken, skin side down and bring the stock to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, and turn the chicken skin side up. Cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes longer.
- Stir the bottom of the pan a final time, re-cover, and simmer for 20 more minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and discard the herb bundle or rosemary sprigs.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add the parsley to the sauce, stir to combine and then spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Serve with steamed potatoes.