Chicken en Cocotte with White Wine and Braised Leeks

Ingredients

• 1 Whole chicken (About 4 to 5 lb, giblets removed and patted dry)
• 4 Leeks (Use the light-colored bottoms; halve lengthwise, rinse thoroughly while keeping layers intact, then cut crosswise into 2-inch sections)
• 1 cup Dry white wine (Such as Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay)
• 2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil (For browning the chicken)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Smashed or thinly sliced)
• 6 sprigs Fresh thyme (Or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• Kosher salt (To season the chicken and leeks)
• Ground black pepper (To taste)
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter (For finishing the sauce, if desired)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Set a large oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season it generously inside and out with kosher salt and black pepper.

3. 3

   Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat until shimmering. Place the chicken breast-side down and cook until the skin is deeply golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the chicken and brown the other side for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer it temporarily to a plate.

4. 4

   Add the prepared leeks to the Dutch oven and season them with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the garlic and thyme to the leeks and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

6. 6

   Pour in the white wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. 7

   Arrange the chicken breast-side up on top of the leeks. Cover the Dutch oven tightly with its lid and transfer it to the oven.

8. 8

   Bake covered until the chicken is nearly cooked through and the thickest part of the thigh registers about 155°F (68°C), approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the bird's size.

9. 9

   Remove the lid, raise the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C), and continue roasting until the skin is browned and crisp and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C), about 15 to 25 minutes.

10. 10

    Transfer the chicken directly to a serving platter that can hold its juices; do not move it to a dry cutting board. Let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes so the juices collect on the platter.

11. 11

    While the chicken rests, taste the leeks and wine juices in the Dutch oven and adjust the salt and pepper. If desired, whisk in the butter off the heat to enrich the sauce.

12. 12

    Carve the chicken. Pour the juices released onto the platter back into the Dutch oven, then spoon the braised leeks and sauce around or alongside the chicken and serve immediately.

Notes

The source excerpt does not include the members-only ingredient list or complete recipe directions. Quantities and several cooking details above are a cautious reconstruction from the dish description and should not be treated as the author's definitive recipe. The source specifically emphasizes thoroughly rinsing the leeks to remove grit, removing the lid partway through cooking for browning, and returning the chicken's resting juices to the pot for the sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• French-inspired
• one-pot
• Dutch oven
• roasted
• braised
• chicken
• gluten-free