Braised Chicken Amatriciana

1. Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with pepper (omit salt due to bacon).

2. Sear Chicken

In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and sear until they develop a rich golden-brown color on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

3. Render Bacon

In the same pan, add the diced bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. The fat rendered from the bacon will add a smoky depth to the sauce.

4. Sweat Aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced shallot and garlic to the bacon fat, cooking until soft and translucent. This should take about 3 minutes. Be careful not to brown the garlic too much as it can develop a bitter taste.

5. Deglaze

Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half to concentrate the flavors, about 2-3 minutes.

6. Add Cooking Liquid

Stir in the crushed Calabrian chili and crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes to meld the flavors together.

7. Braise Chicken

Return the chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Once simmering, cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven to braise for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender.

8. Finishing Ingredients

Remove the pan from the oven. Gently stir in the chiffonade basil, reserving some for garnish.