Braised Chicken With Tomato and Potatoes

By David Tanis

Updated Nov. 26, 2023

Braised Chicken With Tomato and Potatoes
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
About 2 hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
About 1 hour 50 minutes
Rating
4(294)
Comments
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Long-simmered to a tender, falling-off the-bone state, this braised chicken is fragrant with smoky paprika and cumin. This dish aims to be Spanish chicken in salsa brava, but the addition of ancho chiles, traditionally used in Mexican cooking, lends a bit more heat. Along with a splash of wine and chopped tomato, it is hearty and warming, with a ruddy red sauce. Make the dish a day in advance, if you can; the longer it sits in the sauce, the deeper the flavor will be.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 6chicken legs (2½ to 3 pounds), cut into thighs and drumsticks, at room temperature
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3tablespoons olive oil
  • 1large onion, diced
  • 6garlic cloves, minced
  • 1dried bay leaf
  • 2tablespoons ground ancho chile, or more to taste
  • 2teaspoons ground cumin 
  • 1teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1cup dry white wine
  • 1(14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1pound small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
  • 1cup roughly chopped cilantro (tender stems and leaves), for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

445 calories; 23 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 823 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Brown chicken pieces in batches, about 5 minutes per side, reducing the heat as necessary to avoid scorching, then transfer to a 9-by-13-inch (or similar size) ovenproof dish.

  3. Step 3

    Reduce the heat to medium, add onion to skillet, season with a little salt, and sauté until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaf, chile, cumin and paprika, and stir.

  4. Step 4

    Stir in wine and tomatoes, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot. Pour sauce over chicken, tuck potato halves into sauce here and there, and cover. Bake until chicken is fork-tender and potatoes are soft, about 1 hour.

  5. Step 5

    Pour sauce into a small shallow pan and bring to a brisk simmer. Let sauce reduce and thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce back over chicken and potatoes. Leave in sauce for as long as possible. Just before serving, sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
294 user ratings
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Comments

Leslie B.

Could be done in one pot. Remove chicken after browning. Sauté veggies. Return chicken for the braise. Remove chicken again to reduce sauce. Return chicken to warm and coat with reduced sauce. Easier cleanup.

bob lafferty

made it for supper last night. Easy to put together. Nice combination of ingredients. using stated amounts, it was a bit mild. Will up the ante next time, salt too. Spuds need it. GREAT leftover as juices soak into the potatoes. Never enough potatoes :D

Jaffeb

I'm confused: pour sauce over chicken, cook, then pour off the sauce from the casserole dish into a pan for reduction? That's tricky.

Anne

I didn't cover the pan in the oven; this was an accident. The sauce thickened without the last step. Also, added a bit of heavy cream to the sauce.

Rachel

Loved the flavour doubled the sauce, didn' have white wine so used 1 cup red wine one cup half vinegar half water and added some zucchini.

rC

I cooked the whole thing on the stove top, not the oven. Very tasty, can be modified to fit individual taste

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