Crispy Chicken Thighs with Creamy Roasted Tomato Sauce

Another great recipe from forage & fodder kitchen for you: The chicken in this recipe has amazingly crispy skin and succulent moist meat, and the tomato sauce is creamy and delicious. Serve it with a vegetable side dish of your choice, or for a super feel-good meal, make a quick grilled cheese to dip in the tomato sauce.

INGREDIENTS

4 Bone-In Pasture Raised Chicken Thighs

4 Large Tomatoes, Quartered (Any variety of colors)

3 Garlic Cloves

1 Large Shallot, Sliced

3 Large Carrots, Peeled & Chopped

1/2 C Heavy Cream

Olive Oil

Avocado Oil

1 Tsp Thyme

1 Tsp Basil

2 Sprigs Of Fresh Rosemary or 1 Tsp Dried

Kosher Salt & Pepper To Taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large Dutch oven, layer in tomatoes, garlic, shallot, and carrots. Drizzle olive oil generously on top, seasoning with dry herbs, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Remove chicken thighs from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Season skin well with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add in 2 tbsp of avocado oil, make sure pan is well coated. Once pan is well heated, sear thighs skin side down. Sear until a nice golden-brown color is achieved, remove and set aside, skin side up. Do not overcook.

Transfer thighs to the Dutch oven and place gently on top of the tomato mixture, skin side facing up. Place fresh rosemary sprigs on top of chicken, and place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165F and is tender. Time may vary. Remove thighs and place on a baking sheet with a wire rack, and lightly tent with foil to keep warm.

Change oven to the broil setting and continue to roast the tomato mix for another 10 minutes or so, checking every few minutes. Once everything is bubbly, well roasted, and carrots are tender, remove from the oven and transfer to the stove (no need to turn on heat, yet). Puree tomato mix with a hand blender or an immersion blender. *Caution: Mixture will be HOT, start low to avoid splattering.

Blend until smooth, leaving a little bit of texture. Turn heat to simmer and add in heavy cream, stirring slowly until sauce starts to thicken a bit; do not boil. Season with more salt, if needed. Turn off heat and you're ready to serve!

*Tip: Place chicken thighs in broiler uncovered for a couple of minutes to reheat, and give the skin a little extra crisp; do over-cook.

Spoon a generous amount of sauce onto a plate and place chicken thighs on top. Serve with a side of pasta or roasted potatoes to compliment the star of the show!

*Store extra sauce for other dishes or serve with a grilled cheese for dipping! Yum!