Chicken thighs with braised swiss chard

Crispy, juicy chicken thighs with creamy braised swiss chard is a meal I keep coming back too. Perfect to serve over potatoes or white beans and top with crispy mushrooms for an extra pop.

[This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclaimers page for more info.]

Inspired by the Bon Appétit garlic braised greens recipe, I developed this recipe on a whim, and it's become one of my favorite dinners to date. 

One of my most popular recipes is my juicy, crispy chicken quarters recipe. I use that same method to make these chicken thighs with braised greens.

Ingredients

How to make these chicken thighs with braised greens

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the garlic heads crosswise to expose the cloves.
Tightly wrap the cut garlic heads in aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. 
Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cloves are soft and beginning to brown. Once finished, set aside for later.

Chicken thighs

Before I begin, I always cover my workspace with a layer of freezer paper and a few paper towels. Doing so helps make it easier to clean up later, then prep the butter, lemon, and seasoning. 

Depending on the size of the chicken thighs, you'll need one thinly sliced lemon round and one to two thin-sliced pats of butter per thigh.

Hint:  Place butter slices into the freezer until firm before prepping the chicken.

Lightly grind whole coriander, fennel, celery, and sesame seeds to a spice mill until reaching a flaky, sand-like consistency.

Pat the chicken thighs as dry as possible. Next, season both sides of the chicken with an herb paste: celery, salt, coriander, fennel, sesame seed, and just enough olive oil to make a paste, then rub it all over, making sure to get it into all of the crevices. 

Using your finger, disjoint the skin from the muscle by sliding it underneath the skin. After, stuff thinly sliced lemons and pats of butter underneath the skin to sit directly on top of the muscle. 

Tightly fold any excess skin to the underside of the thighs. It's unnecessary to tie them with butchers twine, but it may be helpful.

Coat a large, wide stainless steel or enamel cast-iron braising pan with a slight drizzle of olive oil. Carefully place each piece of chicken skin side down into the cold pan. Once they are all in, turn the heat to medium. 

Leave the chickens alone to sear the skins until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Rotate the pan to encourage even browning, if needed. 

When they release from the pan, flip them over and crisp any skin on the bottom or sides, ensuring all the skin has browned. I cover the pan with a lid to help with splatter but watch the heat, so the bottom of the pan doesn't burn. 

Remove onto a clean baking sheet and set them aside in a warm zone. Turn the burner down to a lower temperature, letting the pan cool slightly before moving on. 

Braised Swiss chard

To the chicken fat, sweat the finely chopped fennel over medium to medium-low heat until it just starts to soften, then add the shallots, cooking until translucent, slightly golden, and everything easily crushes with the back of a spoon. 

Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its paper shell, coating the vegetables with the garlic paste. 

Hint: if you have tons of fat left in the pan, remove the excess leaving the chicken drippings before adding the wine. 

Pour in white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Bring the wine to a simmer and reduce it by half before continuing. 

Then, pour in the heavy cream. The heavy cream will slowly break down, coating the swiss chard in fat and begin to caramelize. 

Start adding the greens to the pot by the handful, wilting slightly before adding more. At this point, generously season with salt. 

After the last handful, stir in ¾ cups vegetable stock. Bring the broth to a simmer, then situate the chicken thighs into the pan.

Note: spend the extra money on high-quality vegetable stock (or use homemade). My favorite is Zoup brand vegetable stock. I've tested this recipe with cheap broth, and it was fine, but it made a difference.

Cover the pot partially with a lid, and simmer until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches a minimum of 175 degrees F. 

While the chicken is cooking, the liquid will reduce by half, but if the chicken needs more time or the pan seems too dry (it should be saucy, but not soup), add the other ¼ cup of vegetable broth, then continue simmering the chicken. 

Remove the chicken to a warm plate, then add a tablespoon of butter with the Parmesan to the braised Swiss chard. The sauce will thicken slightly after incorporating the cheese, about 5 minutes.

 Freshly grate nutmeg and sprinkle in fresh herbs. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with potatoes or white beans. 

Substitutions

Kale - you can make these chicken thighs with braised greens using any hardy green in place of the Swiss chard. I've even used spinach. Just remember, you'll need way more than you think.

How to serve the chicken thighs with braised swiss chard

My favorite way to serve the chicken thighs with braised swiss chard is over cooked white beans or topped with crispy mushrooms.

Add cooked beans - stir in drained canned white beans with the Parmesan cheese. Alternatively, precook dried white beans and use the bean broth in place of the vegetable broth.

Crispy mushrooms - for extra umami, top the dish with crispy mushrooms.
To make crispy mushrooms, slice mushrooms of your choice; I like shitake or oyster mushrooms and dry them well with paper towels. 

Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a high smoke point oil, like grapeseed, to the pan. When the pan is hot, add the mushrooms. 

Cook, tossing until the water releases from the mushrooms and the edges crisp. Take the pan off the heat, then stir in a tablespoon of butter. Lastly, season with a pinch of salt. 

Equipment

An electric spice grinder, best used when ground fresh, the spices add texture when ground medium-fine. Coupled with a cast-iron braising pan helps to make really crispy skin. 

Storage

Suitable for 2-3 days.

top tip

Cooking dark meat: The residual heat will cook the meat another 5 to 10 degrees. However, according to America's Test Kitchen, the final internal temperature of the chicken needs to reach a minimum of 175 degrees F for tender dark meat, ideally closer to 195 degrees F, because it has abundant connective tissue. 

The longer, slower, and more gently it cooks, the more connective tissue liquefies. Allowing dark meat to cook at an internal temperature between 140 degrees and 195 degrees for an extended period gives collagen extra time to break down. 

---

Craving more?

Check out these recipes.

---