Buttermilk Braised Chicken Thighs with Dijon & Thyme
Tender, crispy-skinned chicken thighs are braised in tangy buttermilk with Dijon, white wine, thyme, shallots, garlic and a touch of maple syrup for an easy, deeply savoury one pan dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1½ tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large shallots thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves plus more for finishing
- 2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Pat the thighs very dry. Season both sides using 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
- Add the thighs, skin side down, to a 10” cast iron pan. Place cold the pan on medium-high heat and cook undisturbed for 7-8 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
- Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. If there is a great deal of excess fat, pour some of it off, leaving about 1 Tbsp in the pan.
- Add the shallots and cook for 2–3 minutes until they're starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
- Add in the wine and simmer to reduce, about 2-3 minutes
- Turn the heat down to low.
- Stir in the Dijon, thyme, and maple syrup. Slowly pour in the buttermilk, stirring gently to combine it with the Dijon and aromatics.
- Add the remaining salt and pepper. Nestle the thighs into the pan skin-side up, with the buttermilk coming about halfway up the chicken. Don't pour it over the skin.
- Bring it just to a very gentle simmer. Transfer the pan to a 325°F oven, uncovered, for about 35–45 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and is cooked through.
- The buttermilk may separate a little. Don't panic! That's normal with heated buttermilk. Remove and serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes.
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