Yummy Stuff: Michael Pollan’s Vinegar-Braised Chicken

This past weekend I tried out a new recipe, and it was such a tasty dish that I wanted to share it: an inexpensive savory dish that results in a tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken complimented by the sweet acidic bite of tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and red wine vinegar. It’s a dish that takes time, as do most of the recipes I post… I can certainly not claim to be the go-to quick meal blogger, but I guess I never claimed to be! This is a dish that is best prepared on a weekend if you are, as we were, stuck indoors while snow falls in heavy abundance outside your window. Slow food. But worth the wait.

Our thyme had blossomed! What a lovely spring surprise, while mother nature gave us the middle finger with 8 inches of snow… she’s a crazy lady, isn’t she?

Vinegar-Braised Chicken

• About 3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces, preferably dark meat (we used free-range, organic chicken thighs, which were roughly $6.50 for 3 lbs!)
• 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 – 2 cups canned whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained and quartered
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 300. Season chicken with 2 tsp. salt (He suggests seasoning the chicken with salt a day in advance if you can). Heat oil in a 5 – 6-quart Dutch oven or wide, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Arrange half the chicken in a pot in a single layer and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 12 – 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until much of the acrid aroma has dissipated, about 10 minutes (sorry, but this will likely make your house smell of vinegar!). Add broth and 1/2 cup water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook until slightly reduced, another 10 minutes or so.

Whisk in tomato paste and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Add tomatoes, then arrange chicken in pot, skin side up, pouring any accumulated juices from plate. Tuck garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in liquid. Cover pot snugly with foil, then lid, and transfer to oven. Cook 1 hour 20 minutes until chicken is very tender.

Let rest 15 – 30 minutes; discard thyme and bay leaves. Scatter parsley on top and serve.

Makes 6 servings– and leftovers are delicious!

I recommend serving this with a starch to cut the acidity. Roasted potatoes would be perfect!