Spicy braised chicken Thighs on Stove in a Dutch Oven are delicious. Fork tender with a spicy sauce and potatoes make an easy meal your family will love. You can braise chicken breasts this way as well with Gochu Jang and Korean hot pepper flakes.
We have many Easy Quick Chicken Thigh Recipes on our site. Dark meat is typically cheap and has a lot more flavor than white. With a ton more flavor you can make this with bone-in or braised boneless skinless chicken thighs. (affiliate links present)
Spicy Braised Chicken Recipe
Of course you can make this as Dutch Oven Chicken Breast and Vegetables as well. Honestly I go with what is on sale at the time. I do love dark meat overall but have tried it with both. With these I do like no bones without skin, cut into large bite size chunks so each piece can really soak up the sauce.
What is Hot Braised Chicken?
Well hot refers to the temperature of course but the fact that it is spicy most of all. Using some Asian ingredients such as Gochujang in a rich sauce the meat is cooked in, the protein will soak up the flavors this way.
What is the braising method of cooking poultry?
Typically people will saute meat with some butter or olive oil to brown. Then after you add the spices and liquid for it to cook in you bring it to a boil. You can add a thickening agent or roux, then cover to trap the heat and cook until it reaches an appropriate internal temperature. You can do this with all meats like our Braised Beef Tips which is also wonderful.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs boneless skinless preferred
- Onions quartered we love
- 3 potatoes peeled, cut into large chunks (optional)
- Sugar, just a bit for sweetness
- Soy sauce to create a rich deep flavor
- Hot pepper paste like Gochu Jang
- Hot pepper flakes are optional for added heat
- 1/4 c minced garlic we love in all things
Can you braise frozen chicken?
Cooking Frozen Chicken Thighs this way would work but of course fresh or thawed beforehand is ideal. If rock hard to begin with the soy sauce wet rub wonโt stick quite as well to marinate the meat. In the 40 minutes you should be able to get them to tender and to the safe internal temperature of 165 F.
Variations
We are focusing on the stovetop this time. You could in fact make this same dish Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Bone In style too. Saute is the same as searing if you choose to do so with skin on pieces. Same sauce would be added but the cook time would decrease by half!! Under high pressure youโd just need 20 minutes to fall apart delicious.
If starting with bone in skin on chicken thighs I will brown the outside with some olive oil sprinkled with salt and pepper before starting.
How to Braise Chicken Thighs in a Dutch Oven
- Cut thighs in half.
- Mix together all seasoning ingredients so you can creates a sort of paste.
- Add meat and onions into bowl and mix so everything.
- Over medium high heat in a Dutch Oven or deep pot add coated contents of bowl and brown meat on all sides.
- Add water and bring to a boil.
- Then add seasoned chicken and onions into slowly boiling water and cook for 20 minutes.
- Peel and cut potatoes into very large bite size chunks, stir to combine.
- Add to pot.
- Cover with a tightly fitted lid and lower heat to medium and braise for another 20 minutes.
- Open the lid, turn heat up so it is consistently boiling to allow liquid to thicken to your liking.
Open the lid, turn heat up so it is consistently boiling so the liquid can thicken to your liking. Same goes for Braised Chuck Roast. I will remove meat, set aside and create a gravy out of the drippings real fast before serving.
2nd Method
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs with skin
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp hot pepper paste like Gochu Jang
- 3 tbsp hot pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat the meat dry and season.
- In a large, heavy skillet or make as a Dutch oven recipe, heat the pan over medium-high heat with oil. Place chicken skin side down.
- Brown for about 4-5 minutes on each side
- In the same skillet, add chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery.
- Sautรฉ 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan. Allow to cook for a minute or two.
- Return the browned meat to the skillet. Add broth, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Reduce to low, cover, cook for about 25-30 minutes.
Hot Braised Chicken
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless skinless preferred
- 2 onions, quartered
- 3 potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks (optional)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 c soy sauce
- 1/4 c hot pepper paste, like Gochu Jang
- 3 tbsp hot pepper flakes
- 1/4 c minced garlic
Instructions
- ** If using whole pieces with skin, you should heat pan over medium high heat first with a few tbsp of olive oil and brown the skin. Set aside to cool just a bit and then proceed with next steps below.
- Cut boneless skinless thighs in half width wise. In a bowl mix together all seasoning ingredients together so it creates a sort of paste. Add thighs and quartered onions into bowl and mix so everything is well coated.
- Over medium high heat in a Dutch Oven or deep pot add coated contents of bowl and brown meat on all sides. Then add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then add meat and onions into slowly boiling water and cook for 20 minutes.
- Peel potatoes and cut into very large bite size chunks. After the initial 20 minute cook time add potatoes into the pot. Cover the pot with a lid and lower heat to medium and braise for another 20 minutes.
- Open the lid, turn heat up so it is consistently boiling so the liquid can thicken to your liking. Serve garnished with chopped green onions, diced tomatoes or finely diced green peppers for additional heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
