Braised Chicken Legs with Prunes, Brandy & Dijon
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner, Entree, Main, Poultry
Cuisine: French, Fall, Winter
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
The sweetness of the prunes and brandy is countered with addition of chicken livers and Dijon mustard. If you’re squeamish about liver, leave them out. The dish won’t have quite the same richness, but I’m sure it will still be good. Served with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts, this made a great dinner for a cozy night in.
Ingredients
  • 4 whole Chicken Legs, trimmed of excess skin and fat and patted dry
  • ½ Tbsp. Butter
  • ½ Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 large Shallot, thinly sliced
  • ½ c. Prunes
  • ¼ c. Brandy
  • a few sprigs fresh Thyme
  • 2 dried Bay Leaves
  • about 1 ½ c. Chicken Stock (homemade or low-sodium)
  • 2 Chicken Livers, deveined
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Season the chicken legs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat butter and olive oil together in a large ovenproof skillet (I used cast-iron) over medium high heat. Sear the chicken, skin-side down until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip and sear on the meat side another 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  3. Drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving just a thin coating. Add the shallot, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté until the slices begin to wilt. Add the prunes and the brandy. Allow the brandy to boil off, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the chicken legs back to the pan, skin-side up, along with any juices that may have accumulated on the plate. Add chicken stock to cover most of the meat, leaving the skin exposed, and tuck in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring the stock up to a simmer, then transfer the pan to the oven to finish. Braise in the oven until the chicken is very tender and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
  5. When the chicken has finished cooking, transfer the chicken legs and prunes to a warm platter and loosely tent with foil. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves from the pan juices and discard. Using a blender or mini food processor, puree the livers with the Dijon mustard. Add the liver and mustard mixture to the pan juices. Whisk over medium heat until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and prunes and serve.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/braised-chicken-legs-with-prunes-brandy-dijon/