Braised Chicken Thighs with Pumpkin

Real Simple

I've always been a fan of the recipes in Real Simple.  They tend to have only a few ingredients, require minimal prep, and are usually ready in less than 30 minutes.  I used to make their Braised Chicken and Spring Vegetables all the time back in the states, and decided to try it tonight in my little island kitchen with a new twist: fresh pumpkin instead of the carrots and radishes.  The verdict: YUM!

 

Serves 4 | Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 40m

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 small bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1⁄2 pounds) (in the frozen section at IGA)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large piece of fresh pumpkin, cubed (available in the produce section at IGA, or at the market)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (I couldn't find chives, although I've seen them before in Roseau)

 Directions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.  (Tip: when the chicken no longer sticks to the pan, it is perfectly braised and ready to be flipped.  If you flip it too early, the skin will stick and tear.)
3. Spoon off and discard the fat. Return the pot to medium-high heat. Add the broth and scrape up any brown bits.
4. Stir in the pumpkin and sugar.
5. Place the chicken on top of the pumpkin and gently simmer, partly covered, until it is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives. 

Serve with salad and warm bread (the mini baguettes from IGA are delicious toasted with a little butter!).