From My Carolina Kitchen
8 (5 to 7 ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed, dried and minced
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained (reserve juice) and broken apart with a knife or spoon
1 cup low-fat, low salt chicken broth
2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence
1 bay leaf
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest
½ cup pitted nicoise olives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a Dutch oven medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 4 thighs, skin side down, and cook without moving them until skin is crispy and well browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with remaining 4 thighs. When done, transfer them to the plate with the other thighs and set aside.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan. Add onions to pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, minced anchovy and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the saffron threads to the wine, then add to the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, herbs de Provence, and bay leaf. Remove and discard skin from the chicken, then submerge chicken in the liquid and add any accumulated chicken juices to the pot. Increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, cover and transfer pot to oven and cook until chicken offers no resistant when poked with the tip of a paring knife but still clings to the bone, about 1 ¼ hours.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to platter and tent with aluminum foil. Discard bay leaf. Set pot over high heat, stir in 1 teaspoon orange zest and olives, then bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.
Cook’s notes: At this point, if your sauce is too thin, thicken with a cornstarch and water slurry (equal amounts of cornstarch and water, stirred to incorporate). If your sauce is too thick, add some of the retained juice from the tomatoes.
Meanwhile mix basil and remaining ½ teaspoon orange zest together. To serve, place chicken thighs on individual plates, spoon some sauce over and sprinkle with basil mixture and serve accompanied by fluffy white rice.
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated All-Time Best French Recipes, serves 4