Hotel Recipe

Preheat and season

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides liberally with kosher salt (about 2 tsp total) and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust the chicken with 1 tablespoon of flour — this helps the skin brown and will aid in thickening the pan juices.

Brown the chicken

In a large ovenproof skillet or braising pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the fat is shimmering, add the chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary). Sear without moving for 5–7 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily. Flip and brown the underside for 2 minutes. Transfer browned thighs to a plate and set aside, leaving rendered fat and fond in the pan.

Sauté aromatics and vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Add the sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the carrots, halved potatoes, and celery; season the vegetables lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes to pick up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze

Pour in 120 ml dry white wine (or 60 ml stock if not using wine) to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Braise

Return the chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them among the vegetables, skin-side up. Pour in 400 ml low-sodium chicken stock so it comes about halfway up the sides of the chicken and vegetables (do not fully submerge the skin). Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.

Roast

Roast in the oven uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until the chicken registers 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. If the skin is not sufficiently crisp, finish under a hot broiler for 2–3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Finish and rest

Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a warm serving platter and tent loosely with foil to rest for 5–7 minutes. Skim off any excess fat from the braising liquid in the pan, but reserve approximately 300 ml of the liquid for the gravy (measure before discarding solids). Stir in lemon zest and the juice of half a lemon into the reserved liquid for brightness. Discard thyme stems and bay leaf.

Finish sauce

If desired, stir 1 tablespoon cold butter into the reserved braising liquid off heat to add silkiness. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken and vegetables before serving.

Make a slurry by whisking 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Place the reserved 300 ml braising liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.

Whisk a small amount of the hot liquid into the cornstarch slurry to temper, then whisk the slurry back into the simmering pan. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1–2 minutes. If the gravy becomes too thick, thin with a splash of stock or water to reach desired consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. For extra richness, whisk in the remaining cold butter cube off heat until melted and glossy. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a warm gravy boat if you prefer an ultra-smooth finish.

Serve the hot gravy alongside the rested chicken and vegetables, spooning some over each portion.