Braised Onion Fennel Chicken with Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Braised Onion Fennel Chicken with Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes - a delicious, slow-cooked comfort food meal with plenty of familiar, homestyle flavour.
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Prep Time20minutes
Cook Time2hours30minutes
Total Time2hours50minutes
Servings6Servings
Calories575kcal
AuthorBarry C. Parsons
Ingredients
3poundsof chicken thighs or breastswell trimmed of excess fat and skin
salt and pepper to season the chicken
2tbspolive oil
3clovesroughly chopped garlic
2large white sweet onionsthinly sliced (Vidalia onions are a good choice)
1/2large fennel headthinly sliced
1/2cupwhite wineor chicken stock
4springs fresh thymeor 1 1/2 tbsp dry thyme
1/4tspnutmeg
1/2tspblack pepper
1/2tspsalt
For the Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1/2head garlic
2 1/2poundsof russet or blue potatoes
1/3 to 1/2cupbutteronly real butter works here
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken thighs or breasts on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside.
To the skillet add the chopped garlic, onions & fennel.
Cook the onions, fennel and garlic for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then transfer them to a covered dutch oven or medium sized roasting pan.
To the pan add the wine, thyme, nutmeg, pepper and salt.
Toss together well, cover and cook in the oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the onions and fennel have broken down completely and start to turn brown and the chicken thighs are fall apart tender.
Serve the chicken with the braised onion and fennel over Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
To prepare the Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roast the garlic for this recipe in the last hour that the chicken is in the oven.
Cut the half head of unpeeled garlic in half and place on a square of aluminum foil, cut side up. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle on a little olive oil. Bring all sides of the aluminum foil to the center and pinch together to seal. Place in the oven with the chicken for 45-60 minutes until fully softened and cooked.
Peel the potatoes and boil slowly in salted water until fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes.
To a small saucepan add the butter and melt over medium heat and continue to cook until all the water steams off the butter and the leftover milk solids in the butter start to go brown. At this point the butter begins to smell like caramel. Remove it quickly from the heat.
Mash the potatoes together until smooth with the roasted garlic and brown butter as well as a pinch of pepper to season. You can also add a little cream if you like for extra richness.