Equipment
Ingredients
Proteins & Aromatics
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, room temperature, patted dry
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Braise & Finish
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 240 ml chicken stock, low-sodium
- 50 g golden raisins
- 80 g castelvetrano olives, pitted and lightly crushed
- 200 g lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves torn
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and black pepper on both sides.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy.
Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on the flesh side, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Pour off all but 30ml (2 tbsp) of the rendered fat.
Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by half.
Stir in chicken stock, raisins, and olives. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up (keep skin above the liquid line to maintain crispness). Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Uncover. Nestle the kale around the chicken thighs. Increase heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5-8 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and the sauce slightly thickens.
Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed (olives add significant saltiness). Serve immediately, spooning the sauce and aromatics over the greens but avoiding the chicken skin to keep it crisp.
Chef's Notes
- Patting the chicken dry is critical. Moisture creates steam, which prevents the Maillard reaction needed for crispy skin.
- If using Swiss Chard instead of Kale, add the stems with the onions in step 4, and the leaves at the end, as the stems take longer to cook.
- The sweetness of the raisins will plump up in the hot liquid; for extra flavor, you can soak them in the wine for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Castelvetrano olives are preferred for their mild, buttery flavor and firm texture; softer olives may disintegrate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors often improve the next day.
Freezer: 2 months — Kale texture may soften significantly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat to preserve chicken moisture.
