Braised Lemon Chicken with Smashed Crispy Potatoes and Labneh Cream
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone in, skin on trimmed of excess fat, washed, drained and blotted to dry of excess moisture
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup sliced fennel bulb ¼“ thickness
- 10 shallots peeled cut in half lengthways
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 strips lemon peel
- ½ cup green olives smashed and pits removed
- 4 whole garlic cloves unpeeled
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
Smashed Crispy Potatoes
- 1 ½ lbs baby creamer potatoes washed, drained
- 2 tablespoons salt
- Pepper
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme picked for leaves only
- ¼ cup olive oil
Labneh Cream
- ½ cup Labneh full fat
- ½ cup crème fraiche
- ¼ cup fresh horseradish grated
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Garnish
- 3 lemon strips sliced thinly
- ¼ cup capers
- ½ cup fresh dill leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F(190C)
- Position oven rack in the middle.
- Chicken should be removed from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking in order for it to come to room temperature.
- Season chicken all over with salt, pepper, paprika and fresh thyme leaves, and sumac.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium high heat.
- Add in olive oil
- Place the chicken skin side down to sear and crisp about 10 minutes.
- Turnover and brown on the other side about 4 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan and place on a platter and set aside.
- To the same cast iron skillet add the sliced shallots, fennel, whole garlic, and sliced garlic and sauté 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the wine and allow coming to a boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter, olives, lemon peel strips.
- Return the chicken thighs and nestle between the vegetables skin side up.
- Place the skillet in the preheated oven uncovered to braise for 20 to 30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked or temperature on thermometer reads 175F (79C)
- Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon and lemon zest to finish.
- Serve with the smashed potatoes and Labneh cream.
Smashed Crispy Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 450F (230C)
- Wash and scrub potatoes and leave unpeeled
- Place potatoes in a deep pot and cover with cold water and stir in the salt.
- Bring the water to boil and reduce to simmer until potatoes are cooked and fork tender about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit to dry 5 minutes.
- Line a shallow baking sheet with a rim with parchment paper and scatter the potatoes.
- Using a heavy object like a glass cup or a tray smash the potatoes.
- Drizzle all over with olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper and thyme leaves.
- Roast in the oven 20 to 30 minutes until crispy on the bottom and edges.
- Serve immediately with the Braised chicken and labneh cream.
