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Braised Chicken with Creamy Leeks

This is the absolute best perfect cold-weather, easy braised chicken recipe. White balsamic vinegar is the secret ingredient in this braised chicken with creamy leeks.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 508kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Braising pot

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken leg quarters
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 leeks halved lengthwise, thoroughly rinsed and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 Vidalia onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 12 ounces baby bella mushrooms scrubbed and left whole if small, quartered if large
  • ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1½ cups chicken stock
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves picked from stems and stems discarded
  • ½ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Cayenne powder to taste
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook the chicken:

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  • Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet until very hot. Cook the chicken, skin side down, without moving for 5-6 minutes until well browned. Flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the skillet on medium-high heat. Note: You may need to cook the chicken in batches for even browning.

Prepare the mushrooms and leeks:

  • Add the onions and mushrooms to the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the white balsamic vinegar and the chicken stock to the skillet of vegetables and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Roast the chicken:

  • Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large roasting pan. Arrange the chicken legs, skin-side up, on top of the vegetables. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30–45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165ºF in the thickest part of the chicken leg.

Finish the sauce:

  • Transfer the chicken legs to a serving plate, return the roasting pan with the sauce to a burner on the stove, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced a bit. Stir in the thyme and crème fraîche and cook until thickened, an additional 3-4 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook until bright green and cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Taste and season accordingly, and add a dash of cayenne powder if desired. Remove from heat.

To serve:

  • Add a few ladles of the sauce to bowls and serve with a chicken leg on top. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 37g | Sodium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 8mg
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