Wine Braised Chicken with Onions and Polenta

This meal is elegant and yet homey. It’s rich and comforting, a great meal for guests or just to show someone you love them. The chicken is browned and braised in wine with onions and flavors that have been sautéed lightly in the butter from the chicken. Served with baked polenta rounds – it’s delicious!

Here’s how you do it:

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet on medium heat. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. When you see little particles of milk solids forming and starting to brown, stir in the olive oil and heat it gently.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper,

then lay them, skin side down and cook until they are lightly browned.

Turn and brown the other side. 

Remove to a plate and set aside.

Use the same pan and oil to brown the polenta, melt another tablespoon of butter. Cut the tube of polenta into slices

and put them in the hot butter for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove them to a casserole dish in a single layers. Add a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper to each side.

Add the remaining butter, onions, garlic, carrots, salt and about 7 or 8 turns of pepper from a peppermill into the pan of oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.

Remove from the heat.

Stir in the spices, cornstarch, olives and sundried tomatoes.

Place the chicken on the top, skin side up.

Pour the wine into the pan and use enough to reach about half way up the sides of the chicken. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low.

Cover and simmer on low for about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how big the thighs are – until the chicken is tender and has no pink in it – an internal temperature of 165 to 170 degrees.

Braised food has been co0ked using a specific cooking technique. The definition literally says to fry food, then stew it slowly in a closed container. It makes everything so tender and moist.

While it’s braising, bake the polenta.

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 Place the casserole of browned polenta into a casserole dish, in a single layer. Place into the hot oven and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

To serve, lay a few polenta rounds down, then top with the vegetables and sauce. Add a braised chicken thigh to the side. Sprinkle with some chopped, fresh basil. I also garnished it with a single, crispy fried basil leaf. Serve hot!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 7 votes

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Wine Braised Chicken and Onions with Polenta

This meal is elegant and yet homey. It's rich and comforting, a great meal for guests or just to show someone you love them. The chicken is browned, then braised in wine with onions and flavors that have been sautéed lightly in the butter from the chicken. Served with baked polenta rounds - it's delicious!

Course: dinner, Main Course, main dish, supper

Cuisine: American, braised, chicken, company

Keyword: basil, butter, chicken, olives, polenta, sundried tomatoes, white wine

Servings: 4 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 6 - 8 medium chicken thighs - bone in
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
• 2 large carrots - cut into 1/8ths
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 15-16 turns on a peppermill - fresh cracked pepper
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup kalamata olives cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 2 cups dry white wine (Like chardonnay)
• chopped fresh basil for garnish
• 2 10-oz tubes premade polenta

Instructions

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet on medium heat. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. When you see little particles of milk solids forming and starting to brown, stir in the olive oil and heat it gently.

2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then lay them, skin side down and cook until they are lightly browned.

3. Remove to a plate and set aside

4. Use the same pan and oil to brown the polenta, melt another tablespoon of butter. Cut the tube of polenta into slices and put them in the hot butter for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove them to a casserole dish in a single layers. Add a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper to each side.

5. Add the remaining butter, onions, garlic, carrots, salt and about 7 or 8 turns of pepper from a peppermill into the pan of oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.

6. Remove from the heat.

7. Stir in the spices, cornstarch, olives and sundried tomatoes. Place the chicken on the top, skin side up.

8. Pour the wine into the pan and use enough to reach about half way up the sides of the chicken. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low.

9. Cover and simmer on low for about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how big the thighs are - until the chicken is tender and has no pink in it - an internal temperature of 165 to 170 degrees.

10. While it's braising, bake the polenta.

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

12. Place the casserole of browned polenta into a casserole dish, in a single layer. Place into the hot oven and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

13. To serve, lay a few polenta rounds down, then top with the vegetables and sauce. Top with a chicken thigh. Sprinkle with some chopped, fresh basil. I also garnished it with a single, crispy fried basil leaf. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome