CREAMY DIJON CHICKEN WITH DATES
The foundation for a cozy winter meal cooked in a creamy sauce lightly sweetened by softened dates.
I like to complete this with a simple salad and potatoes boiled in bone broth with a little extra sour cream on top. Adding lemon zest cuts the creamy sauce to create the most delicious little curds to spoon over the top.
Serves 4-6
YOU WILL NEED
4 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¾ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken bone broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dairy-free sour cream or crème fraiche
1 tablespoon grainy dijon mustard
7-8 dates, pitted and halved lengthwise
Zest from 2 lemons
TO MAKE
Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Pat the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Melt ghee in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the shallots. Add the chicken thighs to sear on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side, spooning the butter and ghee over the chicken as they cook. Once golden brown, set the chicken aside on a plate, but leave the shallots in the skillet.
Add garlic to the skillet and let cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the edges of the pan to be incorporated into the sauce. Let simmer for about 1 minute, then stir in the bone broth and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the sour cream and dijon mustard. Stir in the dates and lemon zest. Add the chicken back into the skillet, skin side up, and spoon some of the sauce over the top of each piece. Place the skillet in oven to bake until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 175ºF, about 45 minutes.
Plate the chicken and dates spooning some of the sauce and curds over the top. Serve right away.