Cali Braised Chicken
This Spanish-inspired braise is a favorite harvest lunch, perfect for prepping ahead for long, slow cooking that warms the bones on cool fall afternoons. Of course, we love it for dinner too. Spanish smoked paprika is a key ingredient—it adds an earthy, smoky flavor that pairs beautifully with our wines. Serve over hot buttered quinoa or couscous
Ingredients
Chicken Prep
8–10 organic, free-range chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika
3 chiles de árbol, dried or fresh with stems removed and crushed (omit if you don’t like a little spice with your wine)
1 tablespoon sea salt
For Braising
1 sliced onion
1 sliced fennel bulb
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 chopped carrots
4 fresh San Marzano tomatoes, diced
Red wine and/or stock for braising
Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoon olive oil
Date Relish
12 organic Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
Minced rind of 1 lemon
Half a bunch parsley, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Drizzle of olive oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry. In a large bowl, mix thyme leaves, bay leaf, garlic, smoked paprika, chiles, and sea salt. Toss the chicken thighs in the spice mixture and let marinate while you prepare the vegetables. In a deep sauté pan, warm 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, fennel, celery, and carrots and sauté until slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. Turn heat to high, add more olive oil, and brown the chicken thighs on all sides without crowding the pan. Once browned, remove the thighs and deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine or stock. Layer the chicken thighs in the deglazed pan. Distribute the tomatoes and sautéed vegetables over the chicken. Mix sherry vinegar with red wine or stock, then pour the liquid over the chicken and veggies so they are halfway submerged. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, then foil to seal. Place in the oven and braise for 2 hours. While the chicken cooks, combine all ingredients for the date relish. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove foil and plastic wrap. Remove the chicken thighs and reduce the braising liquid to taste on the stovetop. Return the thighs to the pan to warm through. Serve with hot buttered quinoa or couscous. Crack open a bottle of Villa Creek Trovador and enjoy!