Central | 01. 2022 Recipe
Make Central | 01. 2022 Recipe in just 55m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Main Components
Aromatic Base
Sauce & Deglaze
Vegetable Garnish
Finishing & Optional
Method
Main Components
- 1
Prepare and season chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (about 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper total).
- 2
Sear chicken
Heat a large heavy skillet (preferably ovenproof) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter. When the fat shimmers and the butter foams, place the chicken thighs skin-side down, spacing them so they don't touch. Sear without moving for 6–8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily. Flip and cook the flesh side 3 minutes to color. Transfer thighs to a plate and set aside (they will finish cooking in the sauce).
Aromatic Base
- 3
Sweat aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter to the same skillet. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt; sauté 5–7 minutes until softened and starting to caramelize. Add the minced garlic, fresh thyme sprigs, chopped rosemary, and bay leaf; cook 1 minute until fragrant, stirring so garlic does not burn.
Sauce & Deglaze
- 4
Deglaze pan
Pour in the dry white wine (or 3 tbs stock alternative) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Build the sauce
Add the 1 cup chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up, nestling them into the liquid but keeping the skin exposed. Spoon some sauce around the thighs.
- 6
- 7
Enrich the sauce
Remove the chicken to a warm plate. Discard thyme stems and bay leaf. Stir the heavy cream into the skillet and simmer on medium-low 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If you used wine earlier, you can swirl in an extra 1 tbs butter for gloss.
Vegetable Garnish
- 8
Wilt spinach & tomatoes
Add the baby spinach and halved cherry tomatoes to the sauce, tossing until the spinach wilts (about 1–2 minutes). The tomatoes will warm and soften but keep their shape.
- 9
Return chicken
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the sauce on top of the wilted spinach and tomatoes to rewarm for 1 minute.
Finishing & Optional
- 10
Finish and serve
Sprinkle chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, and a pinch (0.25 tsp) of crushed red pepper flakes over the dish. Serve immediately with the creamy pan sauce spooned over the chicken. Recommended accompaniments: mashed potatoes, buttered pasta, or crusty bread to soak up sauce.