I have been hoarding this Spanish Braised Chicken for a long time. Not because I didn’t want to share with you, you know I want to share ALL. THE. THINGS, but because it got lost in the shuffle of pictures and recipes I literally have everywhere!
Have you ever braised your food before? There is something really special about braising that really takes your mouth to flavortown! Braise comes from the French word “braiser” which is a combination cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats. I know, I know, combo cooking sounds intimidating hard, but you just gotta TRUST. If you can throw things into a pot and then into an oven, then you can braise!! Hashtag hooray!!
I should definitely braise more, as I only have 2 recipes that call for braising. One is my BRAISED ARTICHOKES and the other is my CHICKEN MOLE that is in my e-book. Both are absolutely wonderful and you should totally make them 🙂
This has a little kick to it. Feel free to change up the spices if you’d like. Have fun with the recipe! Make it your own!
Ingredients
- 2 bone in chicken legs
- 2 tbl avocado oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- lime wedges
- OPTIONAL: fresh cilantro, avocado slices
Instructions
- Heat up oil in a large pot.
- Once hot, add in your diced onion and let cook for 5 minutes or until transulcent.
- Take your chicken and place skin side down into pot and let cook for 5 minutes, then flip so skin is up.
- Add in chicken broth until it barely covers the chicken, about 2 cups, then add ancho chilies and seasonings.
- Cover and let cook for 15 minutes over med-low heat.
- While you are waiting, turn on your broiler to high.
- When 15 minutes is up remove chicken and place on a baking sheet skin side up. Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes or until skin is nice and crispy.
- Remove and squeeze some lime over top, add some fresh cilantro and avocado
This is one of those meals that is really, REALLY hard to not eat straight out of the oven, especially with the crispy skin. Ohhh lawdy, it is so good.
Please don’t be nervous to start braising your meat. It makes it so (dare I say it) moist. Letting it cook in the broth then finishing it off in the oven gives your tastebuds an adventure. You get the crispy skin first, followed by the punch of the spices that the chicken had been cooking in. Seriously your mouth is gonna be like, “where are you taking me? And you will say, “self, I’m taking you on an adventure to flavortown, you’re welcome!” (so I talk to myself, don’t judge lol )
Now, go make it! GOOOOOOOOO!!
Whole30: yes
Paleo: yes
