I understand that the title of this recipe is not particularly appetizing. I know that when people think of vinegar they don't necessarily think of a warm, cozy, creamy meal. However, it is. I promise you.
I was introduced to this recipe through Samin Nosrat's fabulous book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. This is essentially a variation on her recipe, which is a French classic. Instead of breaking down and using a whole chicken, I opt for bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. It makes the prep a little bit easier, and let's be honest, the thigh is the best piece anyways. You can serve this any way you like, but for a meal that will warm your belly and your soul, serve this chicken on top of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. It's a rich meal, calorie-heavy, and absolutely, 100% worth it.
The order of operations is as follows: Brown the chicken, saute the onions, add the extras, add the chicken back in, and cook until silly delicious. It's a fairly straight forward recipe, but it comes out good.
Ingredients
3 pounds bone in, skin on chicken thighs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbps butter
2 medium sweet onions, sliced thinly
2 heads garlic, chopped finely
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp tarragon leaves, chopped
2 tbsp rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt
Black pepper
Method
Place the flour on a plate or dish, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in it.
Put a large dutch oven on medium-high heat (you can also use a skillet) and add the olive oil. Brown the chicken, 3-4 minutes per side. Take out the chicken and place on a baking sheet or dish while you cook the onions.
Melt the butter in the pan, and add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and stir occasionally while they brown, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes, until the garlic is aromatic.
Increase the heat, and add the wine and vinegar. All the good stuff is going to come off the bottom of the pot when you scrape and stir it in. (With a wooden spoon if you have one.)
Add 1 tbsp of the tarragon and all the rosemary, and stir.
Add the chicken back into the pot, and cook until it's done, about another 35 minutes.
Take the chicken out and place on whatever you'd like to serve it on. Turn the heat up, add the heavy cream, and let the sauce come to a simmer. It'll get deliciously thick. Add another pinch of salt. Taste it, and add more if you think it needs more.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken, and sprinkle with the remaining tbsp of tarragon. Serve over mashed potatoes, or rice, or whatever starch you hold close to your heart.