Comfort food

To me, this is total comfort food.  Tender chicken in a great sauce with some classically good potatoes.  And boy did I need it last night!  Psych clinicals are nuts (no pun intended) and its about all I can do to get through the day.  So while I wish I wouldn't have had to make this myself, after I did, it was just what I needed.  I guess part of it could have been that it called for white wine, and I think by now you all know that the wine I cook with is the wine I drink...thank God for that wine! :)  So the chicken was really delicious, the flavor of the sauce was fantastic and the skin (whoooops I know it was supposed to be skinless) was absolutely awesome.  I also love shallots and when they are roasted like this they are so sweet and delicious.  PLUS the potatoes are so simple, which sometimes are the best recipes.  I cut down on the butter A LOT, we only used about 2 T, you definitely do not need 6, but do whatever your little heart desires.  Now this meal definitely needs time, this will take you about 1 hour and 15 min, so ideally I would not have made it on a night that I was so exhausted, but hey, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.   So...

ENJOY!

Braised Chicken with Shallots

1/4 cup all purpose flour

8 bone in, skinless chicken thighs

S&P

2 T olive oil

1 lb small shallots, peeled and halved

5 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 T dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups water

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

fresh tarragon leaves for garnish

Place flour in a bowl, pat chicken dry, season with S&P and dredge in the flour.  In a dutch oven or heavy 5 qt pot heat oil over med-high, cook chicken until browned 3-4 min per side.  Transfer to a plate.

Add shallots and garlic; cook until slightly softened and golden brown, about 5 min.  Add wine; cook until evaporated; 3-5 min.  Stir in mustard and water; bring to a boil.

Return chicken to the pot, reduce heat and simmer covered for about 30-35 min, until chicken is cooked through.  Transfer chicken to a plate; cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Add tomatoes, season with S&P.  Cook over high heat until tomatoes soften and sauce thickens, 6-8 min.  Reduce heat to med-low and return chicken to pot; cook until heated through. 

Serves 4

Potatoes Anna

6 russet potatoes, peeled

6 T unsalted butter, melted

S&P

Preheat oven to 450.  Using mandolin or knife slice potatoes as thinly as possible.

Brush 10 in cast iron skillet with 1-2 T butter.  Starting in center of pan, arrange potato slices overlapping slightly in a circular patter.  Brush potatoes with one third of butter season with S&P.  Repeat making two more layers, season each layer. (Put in baking dish if no cast iron skillet).

(If you don't have a cast iron skillet skip this next step)

Place over high heat until butter in pan sizzles (2-4 min)  Transfer to oven; bake about 1 hour. 

Serves 8. 

My round baking dish was shattered by my dog who decided she needed to lick it clean off the counter...SO this isn't as pretty as it should be, sorry!  ALSO I obviously don't have a cast iron skillet and these still turned out great!

Logan Rating: ***