Flavorful braised Indian chicken with chickpeas and spinach. Prepared with chicken thighs and braised for just 45 minutes in the oven. Simple, hearty, and delicious! Serve with brown basmati rice, yogurt or raita, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
1-2tablespoonsghee or vegetable oil
6bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed, roughly 2-2½ lbsor substitute with boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see recipe note)
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) with a rack in the center position. Note: Braising the chicken in the oven ensures that you will cook it at a steady, low temperature, and reduces the need to watch it on the stove. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large (5 to 6 quart) Dutch-oven or other heavy-bottomed pot. Working in batches to avoid over-crowding the pan, sear the chicken thighs until golden brown on all sides. Adjust heat as necessary. Set aside on a large plate.
Add the butter to the pan drippings along with the julienned onion. Cook the onions over low heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes or until very soft and caramelized.
Add the garlic, fresh ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant. Add the drained chickpeas and chicken broth and stir mixture together gently. Add the browned chicken thighs back into the pan (the broth should cover the chicken thighs about ⅔ to ¾ of the way up). Bring to a low simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise the chicken until fork-tender, roughly 40 to 50 minutes.
Using oven mitts, carefully transfer the pot from the oven and place back on the stove. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the spinach to the pot, cover, remove from heat, and allow spinach to wilt for about 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, and season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Add the chicken back to the pot and place over very low heat. Stir in the fresh cilantro leaves before serving (reserve some for garnishing). Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with brown basmati rice, yogurt or raita, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Tips for Success:
If using boneless chicken thighs, reduce cooking time by about 10 minutes. Chicken can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool slightly, then chill, uncovered, until cold. Cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing with recipe steps.
Barely adapted from Bon Appetit January 2013 issue.