Chicken with Red Wine and Rice

Kind of boring title, but that is where I started with this recipe.  I wanted to make something similar to chicken marsala but different.  I bought some chicken thighs at the store this week and needed to use them before Thanksgiving.  So I synthesized a couple recipes into what follows. Served it with steamed broccoli.  No pictures, since I didn’t anticipate blogging it, but I needed to remember what I did since it was so good.

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs  (The local QFC was very low on chicken, all the refer case space being taken up by various forms of Turkey and ham for the holiday.  So I actually deboned and skinned some regular thighs.  Added 20 minutes to the deal.)
• Basmati rice (about 1 cup dry would work well for 3-4 servings)
• 1 whole regular onion thinly sliced
• about 1/3 bottle decent red wine  (Gascon Malbec was wine of choice tonight)
• 1 Qt chicken broth
• Thyme (about 1/2 + tsp)
• Salt and pepper
• Minced garlic (about 2 cloves worth)
• Olive oil

Brown chicken in a heavy bottom dutch oven over medium to medium high heat in olive oil in batches.  Remove to a plate.

Sauté onions on medium to medium low heat in same pot.  When soft and slightly browned (about 10 minutes), add garlic and sauté for another one to two minutes.  Add chicken on top of onions and garlic and any juices from the plate.  Add red wine and bring to low simmer, add enough chicken stock to just barely cover the chicken.  Cover and simmer for about 30 – 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep rice and any side dishes so they will finish about 5-10 minutes after chicken is done.  I used basmati rice cooked with chicken broth.

When chicken is done, and about 10 minutes before side dishes are done, remove chicken and most of the onions to a platter with a slotted spoon, cover with foil and keep warm in a 175 degree preheated oven.

With lid removed, simmer liquid in pot to reduce to about 1/2 original.

Serve on warm plates by putting chicken and onions on bed of rice with reduced liquid on top.

Turned out so good that Jeannine, Nicole and I devoured all six chicken thighs with no leftovers.