Citrus & Olive Braised Chicken with Soft Polenta
Paired with buttery soft polenta, this dish is cozy, vibrant, and deeply flavorful—an ideal winter dinner that feels both comforting and bright.
Equipment
- Oven-safe braiser or Dutch oven
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Citrus knife
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Medium pot for polenta
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo chili flakes
- 3 satsuma mandarins peeled and separated
- 2 medium navel oranges cut into supremes
- 3 shallots sliced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 small fennel bulbs sliced
- 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup water
Soft Polenta
- 1 cup uncooked polenta
- 4 cups chicken broth or water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart oven-safe braiser over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs once the oil is hot and season generously with salt, pepper, and Aleppo chili flakes.
- Brown the chicken on one side for about 5 minutes. Flip only when the chicken naturally releases from the pan; if it sticks, give it another minute. Season the second side with salt and pepper.
- Add the satsuma segments, navel orange supremes, shallots, garlic, fennel, and olives. Season lightly again and gently stir to nestle everything around the chicken.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine and water, scraping up any browned bits.
- Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the chicken is very tender.
- Uncover and broil for 2 minutes to lightly caramelize the surface. Serve over soft polenta.
Soft Polenta:
- Bring the chicken broth (or water) to a low boil in a medium pot.
- Slowly whisk in the polenta.
- Cook polenta according to package instructions.
- Stir in the butter, heavy cream, and bouillon. Season with salt and pepper.
- Keep warm until serving.