I adore “one-pot” meals.
Not only do you cut down on the extra dirty dishes (I detest washing dishes!) but it also gives me a great excuse to use some of my fab dutch ovens, braisers, and other pots that can go straight from the stove/oven and directly to the serving table.
These types of cooking gear are fantastic to braise proteins in as they allow for an even, slow cooking process. And since I happened to catch a great deal on chicken thighs and drumsticks at the grocery store the other week, I decided to throw them into one of my fav Le Creuset Braisers for an easy Sunday night meal.
After browning the chicken for a few minutes, I cooked down some onions, garlic and chopped sage–an herb that pairs wonderfully with poultry. A bit of white wine and a few cups of chicken stock go into the braiser. And then the chicken goes back into the liquids for a slow, bubbling bath in the oven.
Finally, with just a few minutes left of braising, I throw in fresh kale leaves and chickpeas for that extra level of earthiness.
The chicken is super tender, flavorful and plays off well with the kale and chickpeas. The final touch of fresh lemon juice adds a bit of brightness to round out the hearty dish.
All in all, a winning one-pot meal that’s easy to pull together and totally satisfying.
I’m all about it.
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Braised Sage Chicken with Kale & Chickpeas
Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
kosher salt
black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
8 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 heaping cups chopped kale leaves
juice ½ lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Liberally season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven (or other oven proof pot with a lid), heat olive oil to medium. In batches, brown the chicken pieces on both sides and transfer to a plate. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the leftover grease.
Add the onions and cook until they have softened and are translucent. Add the garlic, chili flakes, sage and sauté for an additional minute. Pour in the wine and with a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue cooking until the wine has reduced by half. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Return the chicken to the pot with the skin side up. Place the lid on and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes and remove from the oven. Carefully remove the lid and use a spoon to skim off and discard any excess fat and grease. Add the kale and chickpeas to the pot, cover with the lid, and place it back into the oven. Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bone.
Remove the pot from the oven. Taste the broth and adjust for seasonings as needed. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the dish and serve warm.
theculinarychronicles.com 
I love one-pot meals, too! So easy for a busy weeknight. I bet this is delicious with the wine and garbanzo beans – and you can’t go wrong with this kind of meal using Le Creuset – can’t wait to get one of those pots!
Hi Helen! Once you do get a Le Creuset, it will change your life! 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!
This looks delicious! What size braiser is that? I’m currently agonizing between the 3.5 and the 5 qt version 🙂
Hi Lauren! It’s the 5qt–I, too, wavered btwn the two but opted for the larger size 🙂 You’ll love it!