Braised Chicken Thighs with Harissa and Shallots

1. Prep

Preheat the oven to 325F. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. Season them with salt on both sides. Halve and peel the shallots and slice the garlic. Mince the chives and set them aside.

2. Sear Chicken

Heat the avocado oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

3. Sweat Aromatics

In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add the shallots with a pinch of salt. Cook them until they caramelize on the cut side then flip and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Then add the harissa and caramelize it for 2-3 minutes.

4. Make Roux

Add the flour to the pan and stir until there are no clumps.

5. Deglaze

Add the red wine to the pot and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any caramelized bits. Let the wine reduce a bit. The flour will thicken the wine at this point, so don't worry about trying to reduce it all the way.

6. Combine

Add the chicken stock to the pot along with the chicken thighs and a pinch of salt. Bring everything to a simmer.

7. Braise Chicken

Cover the pot with a lid or foil and place in a preheated 325°F (165°C) oven. Braise for 20 minutes, then remove the lid from the pot and place it back into the oven for another 20-30 minutes.

8. Finishing Ingredients

Remove the pot from the oven and check the chicken for tenderness, it should be for tender. If desired, place the skillet over medium heat to reduce the sauce to your preferred consistency. Finish by sprinkling with minced chives for a fresh flavor.