Devil’s Chicken Thighs with Braised Leeks and Dijon Mustard

Name: Devil’s Chicken Thighs with Braised Leeks and Dijon Mustard
Ingredients: 12 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat; 1 cup thinly sliced onion; 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves; 2 chiles de árbol, thinly sliced on the diagonal; 2 fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced, or 2 dried leaves, crumbled; 3/4 cup dry vermouth; 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1/2 cup finely diced shallots; 1/2 cup Dijon mustard; 1 extra-large egg; 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3/4 cup chicken stock; Braised leeks (recipe follows); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 6 large leeks; About 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup sliced shallots; 1 tablespoon thyme leaves; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

January 24, 2012

I’m not sure which parent I’m indebted to for this recipe. Probably both. When my mother met my father, she was neither a practiced diner nor an experienced cook. To rectify the situation and satisfy his own culinary demands, my father gave my mother a copy of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking as soon as they were married. When I was growing up, this was one of my favorite recipes from that book. I served my own interpretation of the dish at one of our first Sunday suppers at Lucques. First I browned the chicken thighs and slathered them in a quick-to-make mustard-and-breadcrumb combo and then roasted them on a bed of braised leeks. The chicken emerges from the oven crisp and brown, while the leeks become tender, and permeated with the flavors of the chicken.

Cooks' Note

The chicken is best when it marinates overnight. The leeks need to be braised ahead; you could even braise them the day before. You can also sear the chicken thighs, grind the breadcrumbs, and make the mustard mixture a few hours in advance. Then the only

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