Southwest Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are something we really didn’t eat at home when I was a child. We mostly had chicken breasts or when my mother decided to Rotisserie a whole chicken in the oven. There were many different recipes but nothing strictly using thighs…
When I moved out on my own, one day I picked the wrong package by accident at the grocery store. Instead of chicken breasts, I picked up chicken thighs. By the time I got back to my apartment, I realized the mistake I made and if it wasn’t the fact that the store was already closed, I would’ve returned them. Now that it was already bought and paid for, I decided to give them a try – I thought they couldn’t be that bad… Wow! By trying them in a recipe, I discovered just how tasty and flavorful chicken thighs are and promised myself that from now on, this food item would be on my menu more often although breasts were and still are my favorite!
One recipe I created back then was my Southwest Chicken Thighs! From the original to what the recipe is now has evolved quite a bit. Back then, it wasn’t spicy at all because there was one ingredient that I didn’t know about which is Chipotle in Adobo. Years later when I discovered it, not only did I start experimenting with it a lot but also integrated it into this recipe. What a change in flavor!
When I mentioned my Southwest Chicken Thighs were spicy, let me be a bit more accurate. It has some zip to it to make it quite interesting in taste but not to the point that anyone would be reaching for either a glass of milk or some sour cream… It’s not very hot because the heavy cream tames down the spice in the sauce!
As you know, we eat first with our eyes and in this recipe, the colorful array of ingredients will definitely make you hungry. If you enjoy the flavor of chicken thighs or by mistake you grab the wrong package at your supermarket, try my Southwest Chicken Thighs… you’ll be quite pleased with the results!
Bon Appétit!
Here are more great recipes for you to enjoy…
– Hungarian Beef Goulash
– Lamb Chops with Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction
– Old Fashioned Baked Beans with Bacon
– Orzo with Chicken & Asiago
– Braised Beef Short Ribs with Sherry & Shiitake
– Chicken in Creamy Jalapeño Cheese Sauce
and for even more poultry recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Poultry
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Southwest Chicken Thighs
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Ingredients
- 4 large bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/2 tbsp. mild paprika, or as needed
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or as needed
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 1 tbsp. clarified butter
- 3/4 cup red onions, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup celery, finely chopped tips & tricks
- 3/4 cup red peppers, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped tips & tricks
- 1 tbsp. chipotle in adobo, puréed tips & tricks
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 can (12 oz./341 ml.) corn kernels, drained
- 2/3 cup 35% heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Season the chicken thighs generously with paprika, salt and pepper; set aside.
- In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and clarified butter. When hot, add the thighs, skin side down, and cook until brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and place them on a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and holding paper towels with tongs, remove most of the fat in the skillet, leaving about 1 ½ tbsp. behind.
- Add red onions and celery; sauté for 3 minutes. Add red peppers and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add wine to deglaze and remove any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook it down for about 1 minute.
- Add rosemary, chipotle purée, lemon juice and chicken broth; stir well and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, add lemon zest and continue stirring for another 2 minutes before adding the corn kernels.
- Place chicken thighs skin side up back to the skillet, cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF, basting every 15 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up, remove from the oven and transfer the thighs to a plate, covering loosely with foil to keep them warm.
- Turn the burner to medium heat and pour in heavy cream. Stir well and cook until the sauce thickens about 5 to 7 minutes; taste and adjust if needed.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken thighs and serve immediately with Herb & Butter Rice.
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