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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Braised Chicken Leg Quarters for Bloggers CLUE Society

It's time to play CLUE again.  Not as in Ms. Scarlett with the rope in the library, although that is a fun game too.  No, this is CLUE as in Cook, Learn, Undertake and Eat.


There is some sleuthing though because we each go into another bloggers site and investigate all of their recipes until we determine which recipe is the one we want to replicate.  This month I was assigned Lea Ann of Cooking on the Ranch.  Lea Ann is a food and wine lover so you know that she is a wonderful, fun, outgoing person.  She lives in Colorado and loves to cook authentic Mexican.  I love Mexican so you think I would have picked one of her great recipes like Breakfast Burrito with Green Chile Sauce, Shrimp Burritos con Queso or Pepita Mexican Chocolate Cake and I will definitely be revisiting these recipes.  I get to check out Lea Ann's site pretty often since we belong to several of the same groups but on the day I went onto Cooking on the Ranch for today's recipe I was looking specifically for a recipe using Chicken Leg Quarters and I hit pay dirt with Lea Ann's Braised Chicken Thighs with Porcini and Dried Cherries.

Let me explain for those of you who are not regulars to my blog.  We raise our own meat chickens here on the farm so our chicken doesn't come in pieces.  Each week, I pull out a whole bird and I normally get 3 meals for us out of that one bird.  The week I was looking on Lea Ann's site I had already used the breast meat for another meal and I had taken off the chicken leg quarters before throwing the carcass and wings into the stockpot.  So I was very excited when I found this recipe because I love braising the dark meat of my birds.   Lea Ann expressed this beautifully in her post when she said
"Something about a crispy skin combined with a slow cook in the oven with endless combinations of flavor partners and you’ve got a melt in your mouth flavorful meal."

I couldn't agree more Lea Ann and this recipe is a wonderful example of her words.  Thanks Lea Ann for a wonderful dinner.

I did make some changes I used 2 chicken leg quarters instead of 2 lbs of thighs.  I substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream, olive oil for the canola oil and dried cranberries for the cherries because that was what I had on hand. I also cut down a step at the beginning of the recipe when making the garlic broth.  I couldn't understand why the original recipe had Lea Ann use four cups of water, reduce it down to 2 cups and then only use 1 cup in the recipe.  I just reduced 2 cups of water down to 1 and called it a day.


This is a wonderful one pot meal.
After browning the chicken, layer the potatoes in the same skillet.


Return the chicken and scatter the garlic and cranberries around.


Add the garlic broth mixture, cover and relax with a glass of wine as it braises.


When the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through, flip the chicken over.
Place under the broiler for about 8 minutes until it is golden brown.


The potatoes are tender, the chicken is juicy and dinner is served.


Braised Chicken with Potatoes, Porcini and Cranberries
adapted from Food and Wine via Cooking on the Ranch

1 T. + 1 t. olive oil.
11 lg garlic cloves, 8 whole and 3 crushed
1 c. Greek yogurt
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
2 chicken leg quarters
2 med Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
1/2 c. dried cranberries

In a medium saucepan heat the 1 t. olive oil over low heat.  Add the whole garlic cloves. Cook and stir until golden and fragrant, about 5 min.  Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, partially cover and simmer until reduced by half about 45 minutes.  Remove the garlic and place broth in a bowl.  Whisk in the yogurt and mushrooms.  Set aside.

Season the chicken leg quarters with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 T. of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Brown the chicken and remove to a plate.  Arrange the potato slices in the cast iron skillet, overlapping slightly.  Set the chicken, skin side down on top of the potatoes. Scatter the garlic and cranberries around the chicken.  Pour the garlic broth mixture over all.  Cover and place in a preheated 350* oven for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 300* and cook for another 45 minutes to an hour, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Preheat the broiler. turn the chicken skin side up and place the skillet under the broiler until the chicken is golden and crisp 5-10 minutes.  Print Recipe

Let's check out the other recipes submitted this month


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23 comments:

  1. What a great selection for our October event. we loved this recipe and I've been wanting to make it again. I really don't remember much about that broth reasoning but agree with you, why? Nice cooking with you this month.

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    1. Thanks so much for the great recipe Lea Ann. I enjoyed browsing your fantastic blog.

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  2. Oh, boy, what a fabulous dinner idea! Love the addition of dried cranberries (or cherries!)---so yummy!

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  3. That's pure comfort food right there; perfect for these cool autumn nights. Thanks for the tip about the garlic broth too...I love those little insights.

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  4. Here is another one that is making my mouth water. I remember my mother cutting up chickens. I don't!! I buy the pieces I need. Sometime I will have to tell the story of my mom (who had been taking Valium for years) in withdraws and cutting up a chicken. A frightening story!!

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  5. We are huge chicken fans in our house (and even though the babies insist on plain chicken breast with zero sauce, I'm always trying to broaden their chicken horizons). I'm loving the sauce on this dish!

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  6. Love the one pot dinners with potatoes and that tasty sauce...I like waiting for it to finish cooking with a glass of wine, too! Looks delicious. I had fun touring your blog this month! Great fun.

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  7. This is definitely a great dinner idea

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  8. Looks like a perfectly comforting meal, which absolutely qualifies as an Autumn recipe in my book!

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    1. Mine too Lauren. Fall weather screams for stews, soups and braises.

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  9. Oh, wow, this sounds awesomely autumnal! What a great choice. And you can't beat a corckpot meal in the cooler weather.

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  10. I love this dish. I'm seeing so many recipes I want to make this round.

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  11. Love, love, did I mention love those mushrooms and potatoes here?? Perfection!

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  12. I love a good recipe for chix on the bone and the mushrooms have me sold!

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