Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze

Milk-Braised Chicken Legs with Spiced Rice

CourseMain course, Main Dish
CuisineAmerican, New England

Servings

6people

Servings

6people

Ingredients

For the chicken

12(about 4 pounds) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tablespoons canola oil
1tablespoon unsalted butter
18 pearl onionspeeled
3 celery stalkssliced on an angle into 1-inch pieces
5(2-inch-long) strips orange zest,removed with a vegetable peeler
2whole star anise
1(2-inch) cinnamon stick
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
5cups whole milk
1 bay leaf

For the spiced rice

1tablespoon canola oil
1 shallotthinly sliced
2 garlic clovesthinly sliced
1teaspoon coriander seedstoasted and ground
1teaspoon cumin seedstoasted and ground
1teaspoon kosher salt
2cups long-grain brown rice,rinsed under cold water
1tablespoon unsalted butter
2 scallionsgreen parts only, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Season the chicken thighs on all sides with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the canola oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add half the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until the skin has browned and the fat has rendered out, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until golden brown, 4 minutes more. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or plate and repeat with the remaining thighs until they have all been browned. Set the chicken aside.
Reduce the heat to low and add the onions, celery, orange peel, star anise, and cinnamon stick to the pot. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the flour to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and increase the heat to bring the milk to a simmer.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, skin-side up; they should be partially submerged in the liquid and tightly packed together in a single layer. Add the bay leaf. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes.
While the chicken cooks, make the rice: Heat the canola oil in a 2-quart pot over low heat. Add the shallot, garlic, coriander, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, until the shallots are slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until toasted.
Add 3-1/2 cups water, bring to a boil, stir, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover the pot, fluff the rice with a fork, and add the butter. Re-cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven, uncover, and remove and discard the star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Transfer the chicken thighs, onions, and celery to a platter and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish with the scallions. Serve with the spiced rice alongside.