Chicken Thighs in Red Wine-Garlic Sauce
A flavorful recipe that makes a great match with Zinfandel
From Wine Spectator magazine
• 6 chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups beef broth or chicken stock
• 1 cup red wine, preferbaly Zinfandel
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dry thyme or oregano
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/3 to 1/2 of a day-old baguette (long thin loaf of French bread)
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in a nonstick roasting pan and season them lightly with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven until brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn them skin-side up, season again, and return them to the oven to brown, about another 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F. Pour off any accumulated fat and add the remaining ingredients, except for the bread, tucking the solid ingredients under and around the chicken. Cover the pan lightly with foil and return it to the oven. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and cooked through. (An instant-read thermometer, inserted right next to the bone, should read 170°F.)
- Remove the chicken from the pan (use the foil to line a plate and hold the contents of the pan) and strain the contents of the pan into a bowl or fat separator. Skim as much fat as possible from the pan liquid and place it in a blender or food processor. Add the bread and purée until smooth. Strain this mixture into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. (The bread thickens the gravy without adding extra fat.)
