Anna Chwistek's Braised Cajun Chicken with Potatoes

I had chicken thighs, bell peppers and fingerling potatoes in the house and was looking for a recipe that would incorporate all three ingredients. Then I remembered that I had recently saved a recipe on Instagram for Anna Chwistek’s Cajun Chicken with Potatoes, and it was exactly the sort of dish I was envisioning on this cool, early fall evening. Chwistek’s recipe called for thighs with bone and skin, and mine were boneless and skinless, but they worked out perfectly. The chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful. (I did reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes since the boneless chicken cooks a bit faster.) It was the ultimate comfort meal and will be a regular on the fall/winter recipe rotation.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. (Make your own with 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp each onion powder & garlic powder, 1 tsp each dried thyme & dried oregano & salt & black pepper & cayenne pepper +& chili powder & ground cumin.)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic, minced

• 2 bell peppers, yellow & red

• 1 pound potatoes

• 1 tablespoon each: freshly chopped thyme & parsley, more for topping

• 1 cup chicken broth

Preparation

1. Start with preparing the chicken thighs. Rub Cajun seasoning on both sides of the chicken. Set aside and allow to sit outside of the fridge for at least 20 minutes. (You can also season the thighs the night before and store in the refrigerator, then take them out 20-30 minutes before you start to cook.) Allowing the chicken thighs to come closer to room temperature will make them tender and juicy.

2. Chop the thyme leaves and parsley, mince the garlic finely and chop the onion. Cut bell peppers into bite-sized pieces and slice the potatoes into wedges.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

4. Heat a cast-iron or a heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add oil and butter. (I used only oil, no butter.) Place chicken thighs skin side down, cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cook for 10 minutes, move chicken around every couple of minutes. Turn, cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from skillet onto a clean plate. Set aside. (If needed, remove excess grease, leaving 1 tbsp in the skillet.)

5. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add bell peppers, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Stir in potatoes, thyme and parsley. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return chicken skin-side-up to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Top with thyme sprigs.

7. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160°C/320°F. Bake for 20 minutes more or until the chicken is tender and everything is cooked through. Season to taste.

8. When ready, finish off with chopped parsley. Serve with some crusty bread and a big side salad. You can also serve over rice or polenta or with some sautéed/roasted vegetables.