Unlike sautés, which must be used immediately, braised chicken has great staying power. It may be served hot or at room temperature. You may refrigerate pieces 1 or 2 days and serve them cold. This is a fine general-purpose method. It takes about an hour, plus 15 minutes if you elect to do a preliminary browning.

The method is also extremely versatile. It lends itself to innumerable variations, including most of those developed in Escoffier's day for sautéed chicken.

The R Word

Dare I say it? Yes, you might even venture to reheat braised chicken carefully. Authorities agree that "Reheat" is anathema for roast chicken, and they are quite right, certainly for the breast meat. But since braised chicken is cooked in a moist atmosphere, it can be reheated gently without a fatal loss of quality.

To Brown or Not To Brown?

Most recipes for braised chicken, but not all, call for a preliminary browning. This is sometimes desirable, but need not be automatic. Remember that Escoffier did not even brown all chicken sautés, refraining from browning those that would be finished with cream.

For simplicity, omit browning. Skeptics will say that, if you do not brown, the skin will be an unappetizing yellow, They are right, so let’s say: Remove the skin after cooking. This is easily done; sometimes it is almost falling off, anyway. (Today, some people will remove the skin even if browned.)

Someone else will say: But I like it browned. This, as always, is the final test, and by all means follow your preference.

Cut-up Chicken vs. Dark Pieces Alone

White meat cooks quicker than dark. Thus classic recipes for sautéed chicken have you add the white pieces late in the cooking. This is a nuisance, as you have to guess when to add the white pieces so that they will be done together with the dark. It is, however, necessary with sauté as white pieces added too early will tend to dry out.

Is this necessary for braised chicken? It is certainly not as compelling. As the cooking is moist, the white meat will not dry out so much if added at the start. Thus for simplicity the braising recipes below assume that, if a whole cut up chicken is used, the white meat will be cooked along with the dark.

If you do wish to refine, and cook the white meat a shorter time, it is not necessary to guess when it will be done. Simply follow the following procedure.

To braise white pieces a shorter time

After the dark pieces have braised say 25 minutes, add white pieces. These may rest on top of the dark meat. Continue at steady simmer until white pieces are done, perhaps 15 minutes.

When white pieces are done, remove them and set aside. As they have been cooked in a moist atmosphere they can tolerate waiting for a time.

Continue simmer until dark pieces are done.

Quarters vs. Eight Pieces

Most recipes direct that a chicken be cut into eight pieces. Follow this convention if you like. In our household we have settled on chicken thighs (bone in) for general use. 

It is also possible to cut the chicken into quarters. These may be braised the same as thighs in most recipes, requiring a somewhat longer time.

The simplest way of dealing with these considerations is to use dark pieces only, and omit browning. 

When braised chicken is not browned, the skin should be removed after cooking. Do not skin in advance of cooking. Much, some say nearly all, of the chicken’s flavor is in the skin and fat, and you want this flavor to go into the pan juices.

Serves 3 to 4

Chicken thighs, 8, or 3 pound chicken cut in 8 pieces (for quarters, see note above)

Rinse chicken pieces in cold water. Since we are not browning, it is not necessary to pat dry.
Place chicken pieces in pan in one or two layers, as necessary. Add optional onions. Pour on dry white wine.
Season skin with salt, pepper, and thyme.

To braise, 50 minutes

Bring rapidly to simmer. Cover and simmer gently but steadily. Turn chicken every 10 to 15 minutes or so. Check liquid, and add water if pan should appear to be running dry.
De-oil the juices, using the little cup with the spout. There should be a small amount of tasty sauce.
Skin chicken now or just before serving. Chicken may rest in the pan with its juices until ready to serve.

(May be made ahead of time to this point.)

To detect end point

Chicken pieces on a white plate should drain yellow juices with no trace of rose.

To finish, 10 minutes

10 minutes before serving, if chicken has cooled, cover and simmer gently a few minutes to reheat.
Place pieces on a platter, pour the sparse, de-oiled pan juices over them, add parsley, and serve.

VARIATIONS FOR BRAISED CHICKEN

Variations for braised chicken are largely a tale of finishing sauces. Sometimes the sauce is made, after the chicken is cooked, almost instantly in the pan. Or it may be made separately while the chicken is cooking.

In still other recipes a few vegetables cook along with the chicken. The vegetables, with their juices, constitute the final sauce. 

(If very many vegetables are used, then the vegetables become the source of moisture. Wine is omitted, and we depart the braising category, moving on to cacciatora-style - Chicken Cooked with Vegetables - in the next section.)

VARIATIONS FOR BRAISED CHICKEN

Variations for braised chicken are largely a tale of finishing sauces. Sometimes the sauce is made, after the chicken is cooked, almost instantly in the pan. Or it may be made separately while the chicken is cooking.

In still other recipes a few vegetables cook along with the chicken, and these, with their juices, constitute the final sauce. (If very many vegetables are used, then the vegetables become the source of moisture. Wine is omitted, and we depart the braising category, moving on to cacciatora-style - Chicken Cooked with Vegetables - in a later section.)

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH SAUCES

This is an Italian recipe for braised chicken or, as the Italians sometimes say, pan-roasted chicken.

Lemon juice and zest are added at the end. There is a change of pace in seasoning, as the chicken is braised in rosemary and garlic, rather than the thyme and onions of the master recipe.

This is full of flavor, and can demonstrate how tasty simply braised chicken can be.

I have omitted the traditional preliminary browning, which of course you may include if you wish.

Serves 3 to 4

Preliminaries

Rinse chicken pieces in cold water. Unless browning, there is no need to pat dry.

Place chicken pieces in unoiled pan in one or two layers, as necessary. Add rosemary. Cut garlic in two for ease of peeling. Peel, but do not chop, and add to the pan. Sprinkle pieces with salt and pepper. Add white wine.

To braise, 50 minutes

Bring rapidly to simmer. Cover and simmer gently but steadily. Turn chicken every 10 to 15 minutes or so. Check liquid, and add water if pan should appear to be running dry.

Chicken is done when it drains yellow juices on a white plate with no trace of rose.

De-oil the juices. There should be a small amount of tasty sauce remaining.

Skin chicken now or just before serving. Chicken may rest in the pan with its juices until ready to serve.

(May be made ahead of time to this point.)

To finish, 10 minutes

10 minutes before serving, if chicken has cooled, cover and simmer gently a few minutes to reheat. Lift the cooked chicken onto a serving platter.

Add lemon juice and lemon zest to the pan. (Earlier addition of zest will result in drying out.) Raise heat to medium. Scrape loose bits and pieces left from the cooking, and cook 2 minutes. Pour pan juices over the chicken and serve.

(Additional variations are available on request.)