What happens when cooking with lots of oil? Magic. As oil conducts heat much more effectively than air, foods confited in it like this chicken thigh become exceptionally moist while taking on all of its flavor from within the pot.
Advertise Banner, Ingredients for four servings & eight bone-in chicken thighs
1 Lemon Sliced into rounds with seeds removed
1.25 teaspoons fennel seeds umplut 6 rosemary sprigs divided between two and one-half teaspoons kosher salt plus more
Freshly grounded black peppercorns
1 1/2lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes have been carefully cleaned before being stored for use.
12 ounces of peeled and chopped cipolline onions
4.46 Cups Extra-virgin Olive Oil (EVOO).
Prep Step 1
Begin by tossing chicken thighs, lemon slices, fennel seeds, 4 rosemary sprigs and 2 1/2 tablespoons of salt together in a large bowl to combine before seasoning generously with pepper – then cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day (I like keeping mine chilled as long as possible! ).
Step 2
Allow chicken to reach room temperature over 20-25 minutes.
Step 3 Preheat the oven to 275deg; arrange potatoes and onions in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot with enough room to accommodate chicken pieces without overflow. Transfer chicken mixture, scraping out any loose fennel seeds as you go, into Dutch oven. Arrange skin side up chicken thighs over potatoes and onions (it will be tight fitting!), drizzle 4 cups oil in pot just covering top of chicken; if necessary add additional 1/2 cup for proper coverage (it shouldn’t cover entirely though!), cover tightly lid before placing on middle rack within oven (it should take 2 2-2 1/2 hours), adding remaining rosemary sprigs every hour or so before moving onto middle rack for baking time (2+1/2). Let sit until cool enough to handle, around 25-30 minutes later before moving out from oven (when serving time has passed).
Step 4
Preheat the broiler. Use tongs to carefully take chicken from pot and place skin side up onto a rimmed baking sheet with potatoes arranged around it, ready for roasting for approximately five minutes (depending on broiler settings). Let rest 5-10 minutes on baking sheet prior to refrigerating or devouring immediately!
Step 5 While chicken and potatoes are broiling, transfer onions, lemon slices, and rosemary onto a platter for serving. Strain any leftover oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring glass before pouring out your oil of choice for final measuring purposes.
Step 6 To lightly smash potatoes, using a fork. Season them with additional salt as desired before combining chicken, potatoes and onions onto a platter along with reserved onions, lemon slices and rosemary sprigs (reserving some of the oil strained during step 5) before drizzled it all with some of its strained oil (reserve any extra for another use).
Step 7 : Precise Planning (without Broiling): For optimal results, chicken should be baked two days ahead and left to cool in oil before refrigerating before refrigerating in its packaging.
