This, my friends, is all the evidence you will ever need that you can never go wrong with a Suzanne Goin recipe (also: that ugly food is the tastiest). Because despite having a horrible cold (not just any cold, mind you, but a Man Cold) all week, zero appetite, even less inclination to stand (upright! like on my two feet! how exhausting!) in the kitchen and cook and actually briefly calculating the food costs in my head of chucking the dish (already marinating) and trying it again another week, with Alex’s help we trudged on through and had this for dinner last night and it was amazing. Curative, even. I feel 50 percent better today.
So what’s all this about? Well, you start by braising leeks, which if you’re me, already has you sold. Amusingly, I was halfway into the leek prep when I had a vague feeling of deja-vu and you know what? I told you about these last year, to the day! Memory, what memory? Anyway, they’re unbelievable and seriously, if you’d like, you can stop right here. Serve them with some proscuito, a poached or sliced hard-cooked egg, mustard vinaigrette, some thick bread and maybe a sharp little salad on the side and you’ll be happy as a clam. Swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock and you can even make them amenable to vegetarians.
However, should you wish to follow this dish to the end, you will be rewarded. Goin adapts a Julia Child recipe — another sign that this will be nothing short of spectacular — and fills it with more flavor than you can possibly imagine. It is marinated in onions, chiles and vermouth. Shallots are cooked with butter, reduced with more vermouth and folded with herbs and an egg into Dijon, and this mixture is used to glue on some fresh breadcrumbs that have been moistened with brown butter.
And I won’t lie: this recipe is fussy. It’s a lot of work for some chicken thighs, but then again, they’re not any old chicken thighs. They’re devilish.
Not the romantic meal you had in mind? How about some: Braised Short Ribs with Swiss Chard and Horseradish Cream, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Coq au Vin, Mushroom Bourguignon, Onion Soup, Wild Mushroom Soup, Classic, Spiced or Grasshopper Brownies, Oreos, Brownie Roll-Out Cookies or maybe some Biscotti and Ice Cream? No? Ah well, then you should definitely have some “Whore’s” Pasta and a Bitter Salad with Broken Artichoke Hearts.
Devil’s Chicken Thighs with Braised Leeks and Dijon Mustard
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
We halved this but made a full recipe of the braised leeks. Hey, we all have our priorities.
Serves 6, or more if you have the kind of guests who only would want one thigh apiece.
12 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat
1 cup thinly sliced onion
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
2 chiles de arbol, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced, or 2 dried leaves, crumbled
3/4 cup dry vermouth
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1 extra-large egg
2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chicken stock
Braised leeks (recipe below)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl with the sliced onion, 2 tablespoons thyme, chiles, bay leaves, and 1/4 cup vermouth. Using your hands, toss to coat the chicken well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Place the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Heat large saute pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons butter, and cook until it’s brown and smells nutty. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the brown butter over the breadcrumbs. Wait 1 minute, and then toss well with the parsley and 1 tablespoon thyme.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Return the saute pan to medium heat for 1 minute. Swirl in the remaining tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add the shallots and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Saute about 2 minutes, until the shallots are translucent. Add the remaining 1/2 cup vermouth and reduce by half. Transfer to a bowl and let cool a few minutes. Whisk in the mustard, egg, chopped tarragon, and a pinch of black pepper.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, to bring it to room temperature. Discard the seasonings, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. After 15 minutes, season the thighs well on both sides with salt and pepper.
Return the same saute pan to high heat for about 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil, and wait 1 minute. Place the chicken thighs in the pan, skin side down, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin is a deep golden brown. Turn the thighs over and cook a minute or two on the other side. Place the chicken on the braised leeks. Turn off the heat and discard the fat. Add the chicken stock to the pan, and scrape with a wooden spoon to release the crispy bits stuck to the bottom. Pour the chicken stock over the braised leeks.
Toss the chicken thighs in the bowl with the mustard mixture, slathering them completely, and then rearrange them over the braised leeks. Spoon any remaining mustard mixture over the chicken thighs. Top each thigh with breadcrumbs, patting with your hands to make sure they get nicely coated. (You want lots of mustard mixture and lots of breadcrumbs.) Bake about 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through. To check for doneness, piece the meat near the bone with a paring knife; when ready, the juices from the chicken will run clear.
Turn the oven up to 475°F and cook the chicken thighs another 10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Serve in the baking dish, or transfer to a large warm platter.
Braised Leeks
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
You can pair these with the chicken dish above but seriously, if this recipe seems too daunting altogether, at least promise you’ll make these alone. With a hard or soft-cooked egg, a mustard vinaigrette, a sharp salad and crusty bread, you’ll have the best meal ever. And this dish reheats great — we actually made this part a day or two in advance.
6 large leeks
About 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (though I always skimp and use less)
1 cup sliced shallots
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Remove any bruised outer layers from the leeks. Trim off to the roots, leaving the root end intact. Trim the tops of the leeks on the diagonal, leaving 2 inches of the green part attached. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, and submerge in a large bowl of cold water to clean them. Shake the leeks well to dislodge the dirt stuck inside. Let them sit a few minutes, to allow any grit inside the layers to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Repeat the process until the water is clean. Place the leeks, cut side down, on a towel and pat dry completely.
Turn the leeks over so their cut sides are facing up, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil, and wait 1 minute. Place the leeks in the pan, cut side down, being careful not to crowd them. (you will probably need to saute them in batches or in two pans. Add more olive oil to the pan as needed, for each batch.) Sear them 4 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown. Season the backs of the leeks with salt and pepper, and turn them over to cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a large gratin dish, lining them up, cut sides facing up. (Choose a baking dish or gratin dish that can go from oven to table and that will accommodate all the leeks and chick thighs, or use two smaller dishes.)
Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until the shallots are just beginning to color. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add 1 1/2 cups stock, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Pour the liquid over the leeks. The stock should not quite cover them; add more stock if necessary.
Braise in the oven 30 minutes, until the leeks are tender when pierced. (This always takes longer in my oven, but is less to be concerned about if you’re going to top them with the chicken, in which case they’ll have plenty of additional baking time.)
Mmmm this looks amazing!
Oh yum! Deb, when it says to trim excess skin and fat…does that mean, well, just the excess? Should one leave the skin on the thighs? Can this be done skinless? Thanks!
Deb the chime De Arbol are they fresh ones or dried ones. Where can one find fresh ones? Thanks making tomorrow night.
They’re fresh. If your store doesn’t have them, try another fresh chile to taste.
I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a long time, now I definitely need to push it to the top of my “to-try” list!
That looks so good. I wish I could bypass all the steps and just eat it.
Jenny — It means just to trim, but I bet you could make this without the skin. I would skip the browning step — you don’t want to brown the flesh of the chicken, it would get very dry. Everything else should work great though.
When I saw these pictures pop up on Flickr, I started compulsively checking SK for the post. Husband and I can’t wait to make this. It is definitely on this weekend’s menu. They are all I can think about!
I think chicken thighs are highly under rated – I’m glad to see that this recipe treats them to a little pomp and circumstance – they totally deserve it!
I just put some chicken thighs in an indian marinade earlier this evening; now I’m bummed that I didn’t see you recipe first.
So glad that you’re feeling better!!
i made this back in november and it took a while even though i pulled a few shortcuts when preparing the leeks. but it was super tasty and my boyfriend was duly impressed. if you’re staying in on v day, i recommend def give this one a go! it’s super savory and satisfying.
Dana — Agreed! They’re my favorite.
i LOVE that cookbook. it is my all-time favorite. the food is unpretentious, approachable, and so delicious it’s mind-boggling.
Deb the recipe sounds even better than I had hoped. I have a package of chicken thighs defrosting right now, and will definitely add this to our weekend menu. Thanks for the beautiful pictures and recipe!
Phoo-D
I’m sure I’ve had leeks in food before, but never when they were the star of the dish. My friend and I have been talking about cooking something with them soon, so braised leeks might be the answer.
I love leeks and this recipe looks amazing. I’m always looking for ways to make leeks a vegetable in their own right instead of ending up as a base flavour in a dish. I am tempted to braise leeks tonight for dinner. I bet they’d be great topped with gruyere and blitzed under the broiler.
Ms. Goin is spectacularly talented…these thighs are great, but I daresay they are not even close to the best thing in her book. The Pain d’Epice is fantastic, as is the clams with buccatini…I’ll stop now. The whole book is insane.
oh smitten…i LURVE you
I always braise my leeks starting with a little diced bacon in the pan…mmm.
Glad this worked out, but sorry that you’ve been feeling under the weather. It’s so hard to get the motivation to cook when you’re sick, even if you want real food!
I haven’t yet tried any recipes by Goin, I must!
What do you mean by serve with a boiled egg? I am obsessed with leeks, but not with chicken so how can I make and enjoy the leeks as a meal in themselves?
thanks Deb!
That all looks delicious, but how in the world did you get leeks to look so incredible!?
Yes, Suzanna Goin is amazing. Everything I made so far from her cookbook turned out fantastic.
But only you, Deb, can make chicken with a crumbs topping look so good!
The color on those thighs … wow! That looks so very good! I am always looking for dinnerent ways to use leeks. I may be doing this over the weekend. I love ‘fussy’ recipes.
Well, ‘dinnerent’ was of course different. I really can spell. Really.
Oookay, hold the phone. This looks FANTASTIC. I may have to rethink dinner tomorrow. Good lord, Deb.
This sounds incredible. Sometimes a fussy recipe is well worth it. Braised leeks are one of my favorites. I am making this dish this weekend, so thank you.
Oh dear. Here, I had already settled on Coq au Vin (alas, America’s Test Kitchen’s quicker version) for Saturday dinner … now, these leeks are calling to me. How to decide, how to decide….
I swear leeks have magical healing powers. Hope you’re feeling better.
You had me at braised leeks . . .
No idea how you managed to make this with that awful cold/flu thing that’s going ’round. Hope you’re feeling better soon. I survived on Trader Joe’s Organic Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. Love it! Also an occasional grilled cheese sandwich with a little chopped pickled jalapeno to wake up my taste buds. Only Deb will get up from her sick bed to tantalize us with a recipe to die for.
I hope you feel better soon! Colds are the worst!!! This recipe looks so yummy :)
Oh my! Sounds like an awful lot of work before you can enjoy the devil’s chicken…but I guess it’s all worth it! Get well soon!
I think I just found what I am going to make for company in a few weeks. Now, I just need to narrow down my dessert choices. MMMMMMM so many yummy recipes to choose from!
I love Suzanne’s Sunday Suppers recipes, but they are all so time consuming.
But great for Sundays! I love that she makes her own oils and herb mixtures, and each ingredient is so interesting and perfect for the dish she is making.
Mario Batali does a Devil’s Chicken in his cookbook and serves it at his nyc restaurant LUPA. It is made with chili oil and OUT OF THIS WORLD!
Hope you are feeling better!
Love all the leeks, shallots, on onion in this. It doesn’t look ugly, it looks so delicious. So changing what I was going to make for dinner tomorrow to this.
I made the Julia Child version of this last week- so I know how delicious it can be! This also looks amazing. I just have one question about the directions. It says that after you sear the chicken on both sides to place them on top of the leeks. Then you are to take the chicken and toss it in the bowl w/ the mustard. Do you put the chicken on the leeks so that their juices will fall onto them? It just seems strange to take them from the pan, onto the leeks, and then coat them w/ the mustard.
Ok, I also have another question. How important is the marinating overnight? This seems like a step I may skip w/o impacting the final flavor.
I really love dinner recipes like this and look forward to trying this version.
I adore this recipe and it has been a hit at many a dinner party. Though I have to say that I am not as crazy about the leeks as I am about the rest of this dish. I prefer my leeks to retain some sort of texture, and this method of cooking just makes them really soft and soggy. Perhaps next time I make it I will serve the chicken atop of some crispy potatoes or caramelized cauliflower or something. But the chicken stays for sure!
Deb — Goin was speaking of turning this into more of a Leeks Vinaigrette, a classic French dish which is usually topped with a hard boiled egg that has been decoratively chopped. But I think a poached one would be especially lovely.
you always make the most elegant food.
i love leeks! i don’t use them enough because they’re not really a staple in my fridge.
I’m so glad you made this. It was pretty much the recipe that convinced me to buy Sunday Suppers at Lucques and I still haven’t made it. Tisk, tisk. Yours looks amazing. I’m jealous.
Deb, is there something else i could replace the vermouth with? i’m not a fan of the stuff so would white wine work? or is the taste of the vermouth not pronounced enough to notice?
Deb, glad to hear you’re feeling better! Sorry you were under the weather.
this looks delish, and i’ve been looking for something to use leeks in! yum…
WOW. I want to eat this now at it is only 10:35 am! Stuck at work.. nooooo!
I am bookmarking this like none other. Not sure there is much more that I can say but WOW.
sosososososososososo funny that this post was preceeded in my google reader by this post: http://thursdaynightsmackdown.com/2009/02/13/tns-4/ about a Goin recipe gone bad. Thanks for the tip though, I do love me some chicken thigs!
I’ve had this recipe saved for 4 months, waiting for the right time to make it and that was gong to be this weekend, until I found out I will be working OT both days! Dang it. Maybe next weekend… late Valentine’s…
In any case, out of the three places I’ve seen it, your pictures called out to me the loudest. No surprise there. :) Great job Deb.
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten leeks. Not sure what it tastes like. I know I’ve steered clear of recipes with them. But this one looks yummy, and I might just try it. Thank you for the recipe. Hope you feel better. Everyone in my family is also sick. I’m loading up on the Vit C so I don’t catch it.
This looks good – I don’t eat leeks regularly but I want to start! I watched an episode of Good Eats about leeks and it was enough to convince anyone! Have you ever had leek rings (like onion rings, fried)??
Leeeks! Big yum there.
Hi Genia — So, I want to say that the vermouth is not noticeable (and really, it shouldn’t be) but my tastebuds are totally compromised right now and you shouldn’t take my word on it. You could definitely use white wine instead.
Didn’t see her question….but wanted to say (from Julia Child) I always use vermouth when cooking replacing white wine. Much less pricey, which is good too. Just a thought
That looks really good – I love braised leeks and the chicken sounds fantastic. :)
I’m making two favorite things from SS@L tomorrow night – the meyer lemon tart and the arugula salad with blood oranges/dates/parmesan. Every freakin recipe in that book is fantastic!
This will go on my must-try-soon list. It looks delicious.
It’s all the onions that help you feel better. Get well soon!
Hi! We’re making this for Valentines Day but we can’t find chiles de arbol anywhere! How necessary are they? Should I keep looking?
Oh yum, I adore braised leeks so anything that starts with them must be a winner…
I will be making this soon! It has everything I like!
totally making either this or the short ribs recipe on monday to make up from the recent beet massacre i had from her halibut with arugula and beets with horseradish cream. i’d thought that goin could do no wrong…and then i ate those beets. this, however, looks (working with red beets also makes it look like a massacre) and sounds fantastic.
This was my first go at cooking chicken thighs and working with leeks – the whole dish was fabulous! I did opt to use white wine in place of the vermouth (for cost-effectiveness) and had to use serrano peppers because the grocery store did not have fresh chiles de arbol. It still turned out so well, and we will be for sure making this dish again.
I could probably just eat a vat of those leeks on their own – they are so delicious!
Made this last night, and it was *fabulous.* I used 15 boneless skinless thighs (from Costco) folded over, and did not brown them before baking. I also marinated a portabella mushroom in the same manner as the chicken and put it in one corner of the pan for the semi-vegetarian in the group. You’re right, it is a lot of trouble to go to for chicken thighs – but it was definitely worth it, and I’m sure I’ll make it again!
I have this cooking now for my sweetheart’s dinner… a great Sunday afternoon project. It smells really good, used up the last harvested thyme from my garden, and the leeks will be a steady dish in this house!
For all you who don’t have dry vermouth: get some (the more expensive one, still only about $8) and make yourself a “vermouth cassis”… Dry vermouth, a splash of Creme de Cassis (I use Cassis syrup from Germany from a specialty food store) and a lemon peel strip squeezed for the lemon oil to go in. Stir well. I keep the vermouth in the fridge so it is cold. Delishhhh.
I am definitely bookmarking this recipe! I wonder if I could substitute anything for the vermouth and the chiles de arbol? Anyone have any suggestions?
I made vermouth substitution suggestions in comment 47. I am sure chiles can be skipped if they’re not someone’s thing. (Our did not add any noticeable kick, anyway.)
Deb,
How many does this dish serve?
Caroline
I have the book and the recipes usually serve 6 people, I believe.
Yes, it does, thank you. Will update. (Btw, I always get thrown by serving sizes. I eat one thigh, but like three times the suggested amount of leeks. But I’m learning that not everyone is so non-standard with their servings!)
We just finished off a half-batch of this recipe and it was really delicious while at the same time quite unique. The leeks had a vegetal flavor that hinted of asparagus and spinach, while the crunchy herbed crust on the chicken complimented the smooth texture of the leeks quite nicely. We both enjoyed the complexity of tastes – this definitely should be a Sunday dinner and not a Monday night dinner – it’s not the easiest one too pull off after work! Thanks for the recipe Deb, we had a wonderful dinner and a great start to our week!
Phoo-D & Mr. B
I saw this recipe and then handed my fiance my laptop. Then we added the ingredients to our grocery list and went shopping. But alas! Terrible leeks. We’re going to have to wait another week to try! I can’t wait!
I made the braised leeks this weekend (saving the chicken for another day) and they came out well. Next time I’d cook them even longer until they get that sweet, carmelized mushiness, but these were great.
Lenny hates leeks, in fact, he has banned them from the house – unless they are diced & minced so much that he does not even know that they are there! ;) This dish looks perfect and I am sure I could work it into the leek ban as they look equally as delicious! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Those are gorgeous leeks. I love leeks, but my heart has never skipped a beat at them before!
This dish looks so appetizing!! I love everything with leeks & chicken! 2 of my favourite ingredients lovely submerged together!!! MMMMMMM…
I love you. No, really. I just love looking at your pictures and reading your recipes and dreaming about the day that I make them. It’s going slowly, I’ve made the chicken marsala, leek and mushroom quiche, spinach quiche, Isreali couscous with tomatoes and olives, and noodle kugel. Not bad for starters–I promise to make more soon! Thanks for the food inspiration!
I made this!! And it was GOOD! took the whole afternoon though… I used a tablespoon of crushed red chili instead of the chili arbol, and leftover sav blanc instead of the vermouth. thanks for the recipe!
I made this as well and it was fantastic. I subbed the chili arbol with a serrano and it was fine. Good lord those leeks are delish.
Beautiful and delicious! Just made this tonight, and though it took a while, it was worth every step. Thanks so much!
I am amazed at how pretty yet tasteless this dish is from a touch of heat point of view. The braised leeks were wonderful…the addition of chicken NOT even close.
I wasted some normally succulent chicky thighs AND time with this weally weally long “concoction” to Nowhereville.
Should I evah torture myself in this manner again: either I’ll move further up the Scoville chart OR add a melange o herbs for flavour.
Hi Smittenkitchen
Just had to tell you I tried the recipe and it is reallyyyyy good!
Although the long preparation this is definetly worth it!
Thanks,
Inbal
Deb, this looks amazing. I’d love to try it. I’m new to braising, and I’m wondering what temperature you use for the leeks. I don’t have a thermometer, and I’d like to get it right.
I know this is an old post, so you might not get this, but if you do, please help me out! I’m missing out on too many braised leeks right now!
Thanks,
Shira
I am confused too — the first step in the braised leeks says to preheat the oven to 400. That’s the right temperature.
I made this a couple of days back and instead of discarding the marinade from the chicken I cooked it off with the shallots, and OH, MY GOD!! It was fantastic!! We do tend to like things hot and spicy here, but it was really good!
How well do you think brussels sprouts would handle being tossed in with the leeks? I want to try this recipe so badly, but I also have a bag of brussels sprouts going spare and I can’t bear the thought of not trying something delicious with them.
Would the cabbagey flavor overpower the leeks, do you think? Or would they be fine together?
So Deb, I don’t get it… does this use a pan that can be used for frying AND for putting in the oven?? I don’t think I have something like that, I have a large glass casserole dish that I use. I have a large soup pot, but is that really right for the oven? I guess I’d just transfer from soup pot to casserole dish then.
Is there anything that I can substitute the vermouth with. A non alcoholic substitute. Btw, I love your recipes. I made your PB brownies. The ganache frosting was amazing! You should be proud that you inspired a very lazy 18 year old boy to cook something rather than make ramen!
With regards to the chicken skin, I would brown the thighs in the skin, then remove the skin before baking.
I really enjoyed this..it had a really unique flavor to it. I also thought it made great leftovers. I made a half recipe (but whole of leeks) and it served 3.
I made this for my partner last night and I he nearly proposed to me after the first bite. It was INCREDIBLE!
Someone asked above about brussels sprouts – we only had two leeks but a big bag of lonely sprouts in the fridge. I trimmed them, cut off the bottom, sliced in half the long way, then treated them just like the leeks. Although my sweetie scowled at the bag, he had to admit they were the best part of the whole dish. Honestly, they outshone even the leeks and soaked up all the flavors (especially the mustard) perfectly.
The only other significant modification I made was to substitute sweet vermouth for the dry. I’m excited to try it with dry next.
Thank you for sharing (yet another!) amazing recipe. Since I’ve begun reading your blog, my honey has been bragging about my cooking at work and to friends!
Super delicious! Very decadent. I used boneless, skinless thighs and the dish still turned out great. The searing did not dry out the meat (that could also be because I didn’t trim off any of the fat, haha.)
I did a half batch of both. Next time I will definitely ease up on the salt. Also, there was a lot of liquid left in the dish. Maybe I’ll use less of that as well.
This is by far my boyfriend’s favorite meal. Whenever I mention them I get an enthusiastic “Oui! Quand?” (Yes! When?). Thanks so much for allowing this American to truly wow her French dinner guests….
Deb-I made this last night and it was A. MA. ZING. So good I almost cried, seriously. And my French husband absolutely loved it also. Thanks for the wonderful website!!!
We made the leeks only – A.MA.ZING. What a brilliant idea to caramelize them first on the stovetop, and then to get them all tender and melting from the braising! My new favorite way to eat leeks. Thank you so much!
Wow, I made a variation of this and it was spectacular. I didn’t have very much time as I didn’t plan ahead so (about 2 hours), I didn’t make the leeks, I also didn’t have vermouth on hand, so I marinated the chicken in lots of fresh garlic, fresh lemon, pepper, and a thick slather of Dijon for 1 hour on the couter top. I substituted white wine for the vermouth in the shallots and didn’t use the egg in the shallot mustard mixture (it was substantial enough to act as the glue).
This was clearly one of the most flavorful chicken dishes I’ve ever had, even in it’s altered state. I also made your best ever spinach casserole with this, yummmm! Thanks for the great blog.
Are these bone-in thighs. I prefer boneless, but have some bone-in I bought and am looking for a good recipe to use them in. This looks FABulous! Thank you!
I’ve been eyeing this recipe in Suzanne’s book for a while, and it’s so helpful to see all the photos here – thanks for the great post! Wondering whether you think it can be prepared in advance (up until the slathering with mustard phase) and refrigerated, then slathered, crumbed and baked later?
oh my i just came across this recipe and WHOA it looks amazing. am going to try it this weekend while settling my puppy in.
Made this for 25 people. Wow. Came out great!
Heavens to betsy how I love these leeks! We had them tonight aside some lovely salmon. xx from Scotland.
Do you cover the leeks while they’re in the oven? That’s what braising means, right?
Technically braising is usually done covered. But here, it’s not necessary.
This turned out really well. I was looking for a “fancy” chicken dish to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Thank you!
Sunday Suppers is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks; truly, I’ve never made something out of it that wasn’t fabulous. Braised Rice Soubise? Date Shake? Come ON!! Sadly, one of her BEST EVER recipes isn’t in the book: Cippolini and Bleu de Gex Tart. It’s one of the most delicious things to ever come out of my very busy oven. Thankfully, you can find the recipe on Leite’s Culinaria or Los Angeles Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2005/mar/13/magazine/tm-entertaining11
Carissa — Thank you! It looks amazing.
Lovely visuals..thank you for sharing this recipe!
This was conquered last night, and every minute of it was SOOO worth it! I have refereed to this recipe many times for preparing incredible braised leeks, but I could have never fully appreciated it until it was completed with the Devil’s chicken!! Although the preparation wore me out, the incredible enthusiasm from my man about how amazing the flavors were, how moist the chicken was, made it worth the while. I’m glad I’ve found a winning direction to go whenever I need a, “WOW- this is DELICIOUS!!!!!” chicken recipe!
So I made these for mother’s day the year of this post, and I have been thinking about them ever sense. I am making them for a dinner party, and I want to skip the leeks (a pity I know!). Can I really just bake the chicken in a dish (with the sauce & bread crumbs of course) and it will still be as moist? Or do you suggest putting them on a bed of onions? Thanks Deb for all the wonderfulness.
So I hear you re the braised leeks are amazing, but I was wondering if you think the chicken would be good enough on it’s own (I want to cut down on the fussiness) and whether it can be prepared in advance (re the bread crumbs). I was thinking of caramelizing sliced leeks on the stove and using those instead of the braised leeks. Also, is it weird that I’m thinking of making these for a summer dinner?
I’ve made this twice. Super delicious. However, the leeks came out a bit stringy both times. I think I should have taken off more of the outer leaves and braised them for longer.
How do I print??
There’s a print link at the bottom of each recipe, before the comments begin.
Yummy.
But. Had to cut off a third of the “large” leeks, because otherwise they wouldn’t fit even my 28cm pan. If otoh you simply halve the leeks, the top half will fall apart as there is no root bit to hold them together. So, not very practical to make–shame.
I made this on Saturday night for a small dinner party. I was quite stressed because the recipe looked quite fussy, but I just followed it step by step and everything worked out perfectly! That’s my favourite thing about your recipes – you can always rely on them! Just trust the recipe and everything will be ok, no, actually, everything will be amazing. Thanks so much Deb!
Just made this last night. Barely any words. DELISH! Braised Leeks, roasted cabbage with fennel seed, romaine salad with figs and parmasean topped with a poached egg. Gorgeous. Thanks for all the great insights and beautiful photos!
I made this recipe with the chicken last night. My husband and I agree it was a wonderful meal!
BY now your blog became #1 source for trusted recipes, I am down to %70 of the total recipes I cooked from it (do you think I am fixated :) ). And god, I hate gourmet for shutting down, nothing comes close except your blog.
Somehow, i overlooked this recipe, i think because its lost among all veggie recipes on the ‘spring’ list and also deviled chicken brings to mind smth entirely different, at least to me. Since I made it this weekend, I am still going over the steps it took to make it but its just amazing. So many flavors combined and marry each other starting from the marinade… the sauce, the leeks, the bread crumbs soaked in the sauce, and lastly the juicy juicy meat…
And now for your last post – i dont know who is fixated on who but that private island on turks – i cant think of any other place better than that…
My husband thinks I should start my own blog , but I say: what I am going to write there: 2 years of cooking from smittenkitchen?!
Marina
This recipe is amazing! It is worth all of the work!!!
How much of this recipe do you think could be done in advance (other than the marinating, of course)?
Hi Emily — I think the whole dish, finished, would reheat well.
Hi – new to the blog and am absolutely obsessed. Want to try everything! Anyway, I too am a Suzanne goin fan and Sunday suppers is one if my fav cookbooks, as well. If you like Sunday suppers, you HAVE to try her new cookbook: AOC (named after her other restaurant here in LA) and my favorite restaurant. Unlike lucques, the dishes are all less involved, but super yummy. They’re all small plates (think French inspired tapas). My favorite dish there I can now whip up in 10 minutes flat. It’s like a croque Madame, but lighter with a mix of flavors that’s more than the sum of its parts. She instructs you to broil the brioche w butter, then broil again w gruyere but I do this right in the toaster oven. Meanwhile, I cook the egg, mix the greens and dress them, then assemble. 10 minutes – life changing delish – breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. I now always have the ingredients on hand. For those interested- here’s the recipe:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/brioche-with-prosciutto-gruyere-and-egg
Hi, I just wanted to clarify something. If I am planning on making both the chicken and the leeks do I braise the leeks first for 30 minutes and then cook them even longer under the chicken or do I just let them cook under the chicken without any pre-cooking? Looks delicious, thanks.
You would have them already braised, and place them under the chicken before baking the chicken. Definitely a pesky recipe (restaurant recipe, clearly, where things are done in stages) but insanely delicious. I think you’ll like the results.
Hi Deb – is there a substitute if I’m not a dijon mustard (or any kind of mustard) fan? Thanks!
There’s isn’t a substitute — this is really a mustard chicken dish — but I also think there’s enough flavor going on that you might be okay without it, so long as you adjust the seasonings as needed.
Made this! It was very fussy and involved but lovely and totally worth it. Followed it almost to the letter, except: forgot the bay leaves, skipped the tarragon, and used more vermouth instead of wine in the leeks. Also, used panko crumbs instead of fresh and thought they worked well.
Advice: do not skip the chiles! I did the full overnight marinade, and I think the spiciness they add is essential to the recipe. Without them, it’d still be good, but I think a lot more boring. Also, I found my breadcrumbs browning after only 20 minutes (which might just be my oven), and compensated by putting a cookie sheet on the rack above them. Again, great recipe! Thanks Deb.
Deb, do you think I could make the leeks a day in advance, then let them come to room temp while I prep the chicken? Many thanks!
Absolutely.
Thanks!
OMG The Smitten has her (well, new to me) own Amazon Bookshop! I’m so proud! If I can’t shop in NY, I’m happy I can go the SK Bookstore. (Sorry overuse of punctuation, lol) Grinning wildly. I had to buy, now I forgot. Bye.
I plan to make these on Sunday and reading over the directions it says after browning chicken “place on leeks” then pour stock over leeks. Next paragraph says toss chicken in bowl with mustard mixture then arrange over leek?
This doesn’t make sense to me, when you pour stock over leeks does that mean the chicken too and then take chicken out and mix in a bowl?? Would you clarify that for me. Thanks
I love this meal. It’s fussy for sure but it’s so good. If i needed a death row meal it would be this. But who would make it for me?!?!?
OK, I’m confused. I follow thru browning the thighs. Then I’m supposed to put them on the cooked leeks, pour stock over everything ….then pick them out & toss with mustard mix?
Then I put them back on the leeks & spoon on breadcrumb. The I pick them up patting on the breadcrumbs?
Really?