Braised Chicken and Vegetables

To prepare the chicken pat it dry with paper towels and then season both sides with salt and pepper.

If you like, you could use an 8-cut chicken instead of just thighs.

To prepare the vegetables, cut the celery into 1" -inch pieces.

For the carrots cut them lengthwise down the middle and then cut again into 1" -inch pieces.

To prepare the garlic peel, cut the cloves in half and remove the germ. If using shallots, peel and emincé into thick slices.

Set everything aside while you fry the chicken.

To start, preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit.

To fry the chicken, preheat a 12" -inch heavy skillet over medium high heat.

Once the pan is hot, add the oil and as soon as it starts to shimmer, add half of the chicken, skin-side down.

Fry until the skin is nice and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Do not flip the chicken over. This is a messy job, so stand back or use a splatter guard.

Once the chicken is golden, place onto a plate and continue with the second batch. Once all of the chicken has been seared, pour off the excess fat, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon of oil.

To cook the vegetables, turn the heat down to medium and add the shallots, celery and carrots. Let cook for about 3 minutes until they just start to turn golden.

Then add the garlic and continue to cook for another few minutes, or until they turn a nice golden color.

Once the vegetables have started to soften and color, you can add the wine.

Let the wine come to a boil and then reduce by about half. Then add the broth and bring to a simmer.

As soon as the liquid comes back up to a simmer, add the chicken back to the pan, skin side up.

Then cover and place into the oven to cook. Let cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU REMOVE THE PAN FROM THE OVEN...IT WILL BE EXTREMELY HOT - PLACE AN OVEN MITT ON THE HANDLE.

Alternatively, you could cook the entire dish on the stove top. Keep partially covered and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or again, until cooked through.

We like to cook the chicken with the skin on, for added flavor and moisture. Keep in mind that the skin will be soggy once done. You can either serve it with or without the skin, it's up to you.

Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.