Baked Chicken Thighs - Annabelle White

Friday, December 16, 2011 9:21 AM

Chicken recipes are a number one with many cooks. It is an easy and affordable family dinner option that often needs a new direction or a little inspiration. You may have found yourself in a chicken/poultry rut. Many cooks can master a roast chicken or marinated chicken drum sticks, even the char-grilled chicken breast but are looking for something more. When you find something really delicious in the chicken department is becomes a regular feature and it’s nice to share the news.

Today’s baked chicken thighs is exactly that – a great tasting dinner option with easy ingredients from the supermarket and best of all appealing to a broad spectrum of palates – this is incredibly good – try it this week.

The chicken thigh is a more cost effective and flavoursome chicken part for stews, curries and casseroles. Using chicken breast in this recipe would only result in a drier dish and a more expensive one to produce.

We opted for skinless and boneless chicken in this recipe, many a good cook will tell you that bone in makes for a tastier result but small bones in curries and stews can be problematic for many people – so for the sake of convenience we have them removed. Also if watching fat intake – remove the skin of the chicken always before eating (better flavour to do this post roasting or baking as the skin can protect the meat while cooking).

Today’s recipe does need good chicken stock – to make good chicken stock buy some chicken frames from the Mad Butcher (about $2 a huge bag) place some in a large stock pot and fill with cold water. The remaining frames freeze for later use. Add some celery, a few peppercorns, a carrot chopped up, a few bay leaves and 1 chopped and peeled onion. While you are watching the TV have the stock pot simmering away on a very low boil for the length of the rugby game or 2 hours. I usually have the lid to the stock pot slightly ajar to let steam out so it does not boil over. Check every once in a while on progress and skim off the top of the stock from time to time.


Cook’s tips

If you don’t make your own stock but it really is so easy – buy chilled stock rather than stock cubes for this recipe if possible.

Don’t over salt the home made stock as you are using chicken powder elsewhere in the recipe.
Add chopped fresh herbs to this dish on serving. Chicken and tarragon are a classic marriage but anything from thyme to basil would work here.

Sun dried tomato pesto is in the chilled section or deli at your supermarket.


BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS 
Make this for the family and give the recipe to a good friend! Spread the word. Serves 4 hungry adults.

8 chicken thighs
2 tsp chicken stock powder
135g sun dried tomato pesto
2 cups homemade chicken stock or a good quality chilled chicken stock
1 cup white wine
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup celery, cut on a diagonal

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200degC fan bake.

Remove any excess fat off chicken thighs. Wash and pat dry. Flatten each piece out, sprinkle with chicken stock powder over each piece. Spread 3-4 tsp tomato pesto on every thigh. Roll each thigh to enclose the filling. Place in a baking dish and pour chicken stock and wine over the rolled thighs. Sprinkle onions and celery around the chicken and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Spoon liquid all over the chicken and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cover and rest for 10 minutes. Check seasoning.

Serve chicken and sauce in individual bowls or deep plates. Two thighs per person is ideal. Serve with crusty bread for a winter’s lunch or serve with mashed potato or rice for dinner with a steamed green vegetable.

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