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American

Braised Chicken Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs are browned, then braised with onion, carrots, tomato paste, and broth in one pot. They are done at 165°F in the thickest part, not touching the bone.

Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
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Dutch oven of braised chicken thighs with carrots and onion in a light tomato broth

Why you’ll love it

  • Browning the skin first gives the braise a deeper base than starting the thighs in liquid.
  • Bone-in thighs stay moist during a 30-minute simmer if you stop at 165°F.
  • Tomato paste and vinegar keep the broth from tasting flat.
  • One pot holds the sear, the vegetables, and the simmer, so the browned bits stay in the sauce.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Pat the chicken thighs dry. Do not rinse the raw chicken. Season with the kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika.

  2. 2

    Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the thighs skin-side down until the skin is deep golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and brown 3 minutes more. Move them to a plate. They will not be 165°F yet.

  3. 3

    Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Cook the onion and carrots until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.

  4. 4

    Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and thyme. Cook 1 minute.

  5. 5

    Pour in the chicken broth and apple cider vinegar, scraping the bottom. Return the thighs, skin-side up.

  6. 6

    Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the thickest part of each thigh, not touching the bone, reads 165°F and the juices show no pink, about 25 minutes.

  7. 7

    Move the thighs to a plate. Simmer the sauce 3 minutes to tighten it. Swirl in the butter. Spoon the sauce and carrots over the chicken and serve.

Pro tips

  • Take the temperature away from the bone. The bone reads hotter and can fool you.
  • If the sauce looks thin, simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes after the chicken comes out.
  • Leave space between the thighs when you brown them, or work in two batches.

Easy substitutions

Bone-in chicken thighs
Boneless thighs, and start checking at 15 minutes, still to 165°F
Apple cider vinegar
White wine
Carrots
Fennel, sliced

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

Warm, covered, on the stove until the chicken is hot, 165°F. Add a splash of water if the sauce has reduced.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
451
Protein
42 g
Carbs
10 g
Fat
27 g
Fiber
2 g

Budget friendly · One Pan, Stovetop · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients