You are going to hate me for this one. The last thing anyone wants to do in the middle of the hottest week of the summer so far is to use the oven and the stove in a slow braise. And yet. I could not get this recipe out of my head after reading it from Betty at Le Jus D’orange Blog. If you haven’t read Betty, she’s wildly talented and most intrepid in her approach to cooking and baking. There’s almost nothing she won’t tackle and she puts so much of herself into each recipe. And her photos. They are just….well they are JUST.
What called to me about this is the juxtaposition of sweet simmering summer peaches against the bright flavor of scallions and cilantro. All of it grounded by deeply earthy mushrooms. Something about a braise reminds me of my grandma and grandma always served her chicken with roasted carrots. Lucky for me they’re also in season. I think this called to me because a braise is a dish I was raised on. To me it’s as old as time and yet there’s something about this recipe that’s so fresh and new.
Most of the cooking work here is inactive so I could sneak in a rare few moments relaxing. A crisp chicken, seared and browned, absorbs a sauce made of peaches, garlic and fresh oyster mushrooms is then tempered by scallions, ginger and carrots. It’s a summer classic for me now. My kitchen hasn’t smelled like this in months. I thought I’d add cherries, but that might go better with a duck. I thought I’d add my preserved lemons for a briny flavor, but I decided to let it be. Mostly, I made this because my husband asked me, “Why don’t you make chicken anymore?” He grew up on it. I grew up on it. It’s comfort food in all of its forms. This was a special one because we actually had some guests. Very few people have entered our tiny space.
And as I served it I was a spider reigning over the web of the table–and from my spider limbs stretched invisible fibers, winding light and sticky around my guests, my family. There were thinner strands too between people who had a history together, of love or hate, but I held the thickest string and as I served this and ate it, I too saw my place in the web. I usually use the kitchen to travel and today I’m using the kitchen to return home.
SUMMER PEACH BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS
Adapted closely from Le Jus D’orange Blog
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 5 scallion onions, chopped roughly
- 2 small carrots, chopped roughly
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups peaches, pitted and sliced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 chopped cilantro
- 2 cups mix of oyster mushrooms shitake mushrooms mix
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat up some extra virgin olive oil in a dutch oven. Work in batches and brown chicken on both sides until golden – about 10 minutes. Remove from dutch oven and set aside.
Turn heat to low. Add in scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots. Add and cook mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, until juices are let out. Add in half the peaches, vinegar, and brown sugar and simmer for another couple of minutes.
Push everything to the side. Add in flour and stir with seeping juices, cooking, until browned. Slowly add in chicken broth and whisk until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil and place chicken in one layer, with skin side up. Boil again and transfer dutch oven to oven. Cover with lid and roast for 45 minutes.
Add rest of peaches to sauce and simmer sauce over medium-high heat, uncovered, until thick and reduced by half (10 minutes).
Stir in cilantro and spoon over chicken.
I think I have the same red casserole and yesterday I cooked a lamb curry very slowly in the oven. You are not the only crazy one, braising food in midsummer! I bet the kitchen smelled amazing in spite of the heat. That looks like a beautiful dish with the chicken in the yellow peach sauce, especially against the multicoloured carrots 😉
Thanks, MD. I was actually afraid you’d call me crazy. That lamb sounds incredible! There’s so much good fruit right now and when it’s baked it releases the most delicious juices. And yes, a braise always smells like home. This one is a keeper. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend, MD.
No crazier than me 😉
🙂
Peaches and chicken – great combination. I also make a peach bbq sauce that goes really well on grilled chicken. I think the two flavors are so compatible. Your recipe looks so inviting and delicious. Definitely a recipe to make when we can get gorgeous peaches this time of year..
Oh I can only imagine how good that bbq sauce is! They really are a great combo. Like duck and plum, I think peach and chicken are perfect! Thanks as always for your thoughtful comments, Jovina! Enjoy! xo
Peach and chicken is not a combination I would have thought of – though plum or cherries & duck or lamb with either plums or apricots are wonderful – but together with the other ingredients it sounds like such a wonderful poetic dish that brings everyone together around a table laden with the most enticing scents. Love the web you are weaving.
Nicole xx
Thanks, Nicole. I’m liking the web too. We all weave one, it’s a matter of recognizing it. My grandma used to make the best apricot chicken. That’s what made me think that peaches might be perfect. I hope you’re having a wonderful day. 🙂
Wow, apricot chicken? You are opening a whole new fruit & poultry flavour universum here for me. Have a wonderful day, too, Amanda, N xx
Ooooh yes, apricot and chicken = delicious! I make a chicken, apricot and cinnamon pilaf, it is wonderful!
Love the spider and web analogy! Gorgeous recipe, the idea of peaches in this dish and those carrots are so beautiful! I have a slow cooker that I use all year round – it’s brilliant as it doesn’t over heat the kitchen (not that it matters much in England with the variable weather!).
Thanks, Chica! What a great idea to use the slow cooker! So smart. With that i’d use bone in thighs and drumsticks! This is a dish I actually think you’d like a lot 🙂 xo
Love this recipe. Thank you for sharing. Emma.
Thanks, Emma! I hope all is going well with the little one!
Great color combinations which I bet surely reflects the flavors! Mixing chicken with some acidity is always a winner. Reminds me a little of the persian dish “zereshk polo” where they combine chicken with barberries. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for commenting Fernando. OH man! I cannot believe you mentioned zereshk polo. I have been trying to master any polo forever. I want the perfect amount of crunch from the burnt part and the onions and separation of the grains and I just can’t do it like they do in Iran or India. Probably because I’m impatient. But yes, sweet and savory are a match made in heaven!
Beautifully inventive. On a very recent trip to rural France we had duck breast in a caramelised peach sauce. I plan to do likewise with apricot (which I think will be nicer). Lovely post indeed.
Thanks, Conor. Ohh apricots would be wonderful! I had never had apricots growing up except for the dried version. When I first noticed they were actual fruits that had a season I remember being shocked. How lovely to have a trip to rural france. The joys of living not in the States 🙂 Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.
Lovely, Amanda. I had seen Betty’s post, now I am drooling before yours. The weather here is ideal for summer stews… it’s cool and windy! And peaches this year are just amazing… This reminds me a bit of Persian khoresht-e hulu, which I made often last summer, but for some reason haven’t made once this year! This recipe is much heartier, and calls for more ingredients, I bet it was delicious! Lucky guests!
Thanks, Darya. Maybe one day you’ll be my guest! You’re always welcome! You’re the second person who said this reminds them of a Persian dish. I think because they have an amazing way of combining sweet and savory, soft and textured, etc. Oh it’s so hot here. It’s finally raining, but so so humid! October in Spain/france is looking much more likely than ever so I’m crossing my fingers. Have a wonderful weekend . XO.
Yay! I hope it happens! Do let me know. My job is ending soon, so I’ll probably have lots of free time in October. Do visit!
Oh how i’d love to. I will let you know for sure!
This is such a wonderful meal Amanda.
I hate using my oven in the hot ass summer too but for something like this, it can’t be helped
Brilliant flavor combination with the peaches, we’ll done indeed lady!
Love your spider analogy too!
Thanks, Dana! The great thing about doing this is that it lasts so you won’t have to put the stove on for a couple of days. You leave such thoughtful comments. Xo
This meal looks so beautiful! I can just taste the flavors of the peaches and cilantro with the chicken. I have been in somewhat of a cooking rut the last few days, but this post inspires me to make something with lots of flavors combining. Hope you are having a good summer!
Thanks, Jenny. I hear you about the rut. I think the heat does it. Last year I was so in love with summer making all sorts of French foods and discovering new things. This year I’m definition trying classics but I’m less in love. I think I’ve been focused me on summer desserts and the real good stuff is in salads and savory. This dish is a great one. I’ll keep reading which is what inspires me most, other blogs. It’s been so busy lately that I’ve fallen woefully behind. I hope you’re having a good summer too. It’s always great to hear from you. Xo
Amanda, this is a delicious combination of delicate flavors and texture. Enjoy your summer! 🙂
Thank you. It’s nice to have a braise in the middle of summer sometimes. Enjoy your weekend!
Beautiful, Amanda! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with cooking inside in any way! Besides, where I live, it’s too hot to cook outside!!! I also love peaches with cilantro. I have a peach salsa on my blog that’s terrific, if I may say so myself! I need to do it over one day, because the photos are pretty terrible!
Thanks, Mimi! I have a few posts like that where the food is so good but the photos don’t do justice. I’ll check out that salsa. I imagine it would be great over a swordfish too as well as poultry. Enjoy the weekend!
Such a different flavor combination…I’m sure it was delicious.
Thank you, Karen. It really is a great dish. Have a wonderful weekend!
I can smell it here. Looks so delicious.
Thanks, Michelle. Happy weekend!
How am I just seeing this now? Thank you so much for the kind words – this looks amazing. My stomach is rumbling just look at it – I’m so glad you tried this combination out!!
Aww of course! I loved it! A lot of people have been commenting that there is a Persian stew dish that’s very much like this. It’s amazing to see how there are versions of this across cultures. What I liked so much about it is that it reminded me of my Jewish grandma’s chicken. So funny. Thanks for the great recipes! xo
Only someone who is seriously into cooking would call this a dish where most of the work is inactive! This made me smile. But its your line, “people who had a history together, of love or hate,” that is so breathtakingly poignant.
And if you’re going to make a slow braise in the middle of summer – adding summer fruit really makes sense of the whole thing, doesn’t it? Honestly, I find myself cooking all sorts of things that really don’t belong in summer. Just like I still eat salads in winter. Sometimes the directions for what to cook just happen to come from the heart….
Thanks for your beautiful comment, Seana. I eat salads in the winter too. While I’m a big fan of using seasonal ingredients, I don’t feel like I can’t use the oven in summer or eat raw salads in the winter. Thanks for your kind words about relationships too. LOL now that you pointed out that I called this dish inactive, I can see how someone who wasn’t in the kitchen all the time would be like “get real”! hahah! awesome 🙂 But when it braises away slowly I get to sit down and read instead of stir and chop, etc. XO
Omg sorry lindy. I accidentally called you Seana 🙁
This would be so delish over steamed rice, Yum! Great post, Amanda. 🙂
Ohhh yes! It really would. I’ve been craving it again lately! Thanks much! Xo
Given that I will bake chicken even in the summer just for something hands-off so I can tackle other things, a chicken braise doesn’t sound that awful to me! We’ve been getting more boneless/skinless thighs lately because that’s what is in-store, so I’m going to have to save this to make while the peaches are still good.
Ohhh wonderful. You’ll like this! Boneless this taste so good. I hope you do make it! Worth it. Enjoy.
I must say, I have never seen chicken look this appetizing ever before. Peaches and chicken sounds like a great combination! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us, Amanda. I shall try it for lunch this week.
Thank you, Mary Frances! It’s a great recipe to make while we still have peaches around (sadface).
This is a great combination! Lovely recipe:) thanks for sharing!
Thank you. One of my faves of the season.