Sofrito of Chickpeas with Skillet-Braised Chicken Thighs

Name: Sofrito of Chickpeas with Skillet-Braised Chicken Thighs
Total time: P1H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: chicken thighs, boneless, skinless; flour; salt and black pepper; olive oil; red chili peppers; onions; garlic; paprika; marjoram; tomatoes; green bell peppers; chicken broth, low salt; chickpeas (garbanzo beans); parsley leaves

Submitted by cunniffe

Browned chicken thighs braised in a Spanish-style sofrito of onions, garlic, tomatoes, paprika, and dried chilies, finished with chickpeas. A hearty one-skillet dinner.

YIELD

6 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

35 min

READY

1 hrs

One cast-iron skillet, one hour, and you’ve got a meal that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

Chicken thighs get a hard sear for color, then braise in a sofrito built from onions, garlic, dried chilies, paprika, and marjoram. Fresh tomatoes and green peppers join the party, and the whole thing simmers until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.

Chickpeas go in at the end, soaking up all that spiced, tomatoey braising liquid and adding heft that turns this from a chicken dish into a complete meal.

Garnish with fresh parsley and bring the skillet straight to the table.

Chef Tips

Brown the chicken on high heat, partially covered, to get good color without oil splattering everywhere. Two minutes per side is all you need.
Cook the dried chilies until dark, then discard them. They leave behind a subtle heat that flavors the oil without being overpowering.
Blot the fat from the surface with paper towels before serving for a cleaner, lighter dish.
Canned chickpeas are fine here. Drain and rinse them well so they absorb the braising liquid instead of adding starchy canning liquid.

Ingredients

EACH BONELESS CHICKEN THIGH
bone-in, skinned, trimmed of fat *

CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER
to taste *

1 ½

TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL

SMALL RED CHILI PEPPER
dried, crumbled *

ONIONS
peeled, quartered, thinly sliced

CLOVES GARLIC
finely chopped *

TEASPOON PAPRIKA

TEASPOON MARJORAM
dried *

LARGE TOMATOES
seeded, chopped

LARGE GREEN BELL PEPPER
cored, seeded, thinly

CUP CHICKEN BROTH, LOW SALT
defatted

OUNCES CHICKPEAS (GARBANZO BEANS)
canned, drained, rinsed

TABLESPOONS PARSLEY LEAVES

Directions

In a shallow dish, dredge chicken thighs in flour, shaking off excess. Season both sides with salt and pepper. In a large cast-iron or non- stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add chicken, partially cover the pan and cook until the chicken is nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side (it will not be fully cooked). Remove from the skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the skillet. Add dried chili peppers and cook until they turn dark, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Add onions and garlic to the skillet; cook until soft and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add paprika and marjoram and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, green peppers and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 5 minutes longer. Return the chicken to the skillet, along with ½ cup of the chicken stock. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink inside, 20 to 25 minutes. Add chickpeas and the remaining ½ cup chicken stock; simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Blot off any fat that rises to the surface with paper towels. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with parsley.