Pesto Chicken over Polenta: Part II

I know I said that I would post this recipe last week, but I'm lazy and you should never trust anything I say.

Anyway, this is the second part of the recipe I started before, the actual chicken part. I'm still deciding if I will include the polenta part too, but I just use Mark Bittman's recipe, and it's really easy. Maybe I'll do something else soon that uses it. I've wanted to try out the recipe for really stiff polenta and make little cakes.

Anyway, on to chicken. I'm excited because today is my oven's debut on this blog! This is everything that you need, including stuff for polenta.

The grape tomatoes are a really great addition in this recipe, so don't forget them. Also, chicken thighs here are a must. Breasts will get too dry, but thighs can take a lot of cooking.

First remember to season the chicken thighs (profusely) with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of butter and about a tablespoon of olive oil to a dutch oven. Butter for browning, olive oil for not burning.

When it gets hot, add the thighs, skin side down, in the pan.

Let them cook for about two to three minutes, until you get some nice color on the skin. If you like it really crispy, go for four. Anyway, when you flip them, they should look something like this.

Nice color on the skin, but not burnt. Although, I did burn myself getting this close-up. I really need a new camera.

So, two to three minutes on the other side, then pop them out, put them on a paper towel an drain some of the fat if it looks like there's too much. Also, start preheating your oven to 325.

Whenever I make sauces I like to add onion, and I'm not sure why. If I make a pan sauce and I don't, I always feel like something is missing. Maybe it's because of my ultimate in pan sauces, the sauce for my Pork Chops in Mustard Cream Sauce. I'm just obsessed with it, and I try to make every sauce jutst like it. Anyway, throw in some nicely diced onion, turn off the heat, and let it cook until translucent. The residual heat here should be enough, and I HATE burning onions.

Now the fun part, turn the heat back on medium, take a quarter cup of wine and deglaze the pan.

That just means pour in the wine and stir vigorously, getting all of the chickeniness off the bottom of the pan. It adds tons of flavor and does some of the cleaning for you.
Let the wine reduce by about half, then add in a quarter cup of chicken stock (or water, if you don't have any) and let that reduce by half.

Add in between one and two tablespoons of that great pesto we made before and mix it all in.

It looks really gross, but tastes great. Turn off the heat and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Put the chicken back in, skin side up, and toss in some of those grape tomatoes.

The tomatoes are going to start to burst in the oven and add another layer of flavor to the sauce, not to mention the chicken will let off additional juice/fat. It's going to be sooo good.

Put the top on and get it in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until you feel comfortable with the chicken. 35 was definitely enough for me.

While it's in the oven, you have enough time to make polenta, if you're in to it. Mashed potatoes would also be good, but do me a favor and make a cute presentation.

I tried my best with this one. At least it tasted great. This one's for the recipe book.

Pesto Chicken
3 Chicken Thighs
1/4 cup red wine
1 tbsp butter
1 tsbp oil
1/4 cup chicken stock/water
2 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp onion, diced
1 handful grape tomatoes
salt and pepper as needed

1. Season chicken thighs, and heat butter and oil in a dutch oven. Sear, skin side first, 2-3 minutes per side.
2. Remove to a paper towel, drain some fat if necessary, turn off the heat, and saute onions in residual heat. Preheat oven to 325.
3. Turn heat back to medium, add red wine to deglaze pan and let reduce by half. Then add stock and let reduce again.
4. Mix in pesto, then turn off heat.
5. Add chicken back into dutch oven, skin side up, and toss in grape tomatoes. Place in oven, covered, for 35 minutes.
6. Serve over polenta or mashed potatoes, and most importantly, some red wine.