Sweet and sour chicken thighs, tender and flavorful, with a delicious cooking base made of carrots, celery, and many aromatic herbs. An easy-to-prepare main course, with a very economical cut of meat but rich in flavor. The chicken thighs are first browned, then cooked in the pan with the other ingredients… thus losing excess fat and forming a bit of a crust. Adding sweet and sour towards the end of cooking makes the sauce even more appetizing… try this simple recipe, you can customize it with your favorite herbs.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 438.01 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.89 (g) of which sugars 5.34 (g)
- Proteins 35.63 (g)
- Fat 29.17 (g) of which saturated 0.18 (g)of which unsaturated 0.13 (g)
- Fibers 2.05 (g)
- Sodium 409.80 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 160 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs chicken thighs, with skin, raw
- 1 carrot (large)
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 cloves garlic (or half an onion)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 leaves sage
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 leaves basil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (white wine or apple cider)
- Half tablespoon sugar
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- as needed meat broth
Tools
- Pot
- Pan or griddle
- Bowl
- Cutting board
Preparation
Peel the carrot and chop it together with the celery. Wash and dry the aromatic herbs and chop them (except the bay leaf) along with the garlic cloves (or onion, if you prefer).
Dry the chicken thighs and brown them in a non-stick pan, without oil, adding just a pinch of salt (1), until the skin is golden. Remove the excess fat that remains at the bottom.
Place the carrot, celery, chopped herbs, and the bay leaf in a pot, add a drizzle of oil, and let them wilt for a few minutes (2).
Add the chicken and pour in a splash of hot water or broth (3).
Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes over medium-low heat.
After this time, mix the sugar with the vinegar in a small bowl and pour it into the pot.
Increase the heat a bit and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until the meat is tender and well-cooked inside. Add a little more broth if necessary.
Sweet and sour chicken thighs are ready. Serve them hot, drizzled with their herb sauce.
Tips and Notes
You can adapt the recipe to other parts of the chicken, such as drumsticks or front quarters.
You can vary the herbs depending on your taste. You can scent it with lemon zest cut into strips.
You can cook the chicken in advance and reheat it when needed, adding a bit of liquid if necessary.
After browning, you can remove all the skin if you want a lighter dish.
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