Braised Ranchero Chicken Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH DATES, LEMON AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• The day before cooking, stir together the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and fennel in a small bowl until well combined. Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper, then coat the meat with the spice mixture. Refrigerate overnight to season.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until it barely begins to smoke. Sear the chicken skin-side down until browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve.
• Add the garlic, onions and carrots to the same pot and cook until the vegetables are caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and white wine and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot and top with the dates, olives and lemons. Bake, uncovered, until the chicken is tender, 45 minute to an hour. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, mint and cilantro and serve immediately.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Quick-cooking polenta made to package directions, or crusty-style bake-off packaged bread such as ciabatta or, fresh crusty bread - pop in freezer if storing more than one night.
• Place the dried mushrooms, and stock in small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to low boil then reduce heat to low and reconstitute.
• Heat a thin layer of olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan, in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid or a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken pieces dry, and season liberally with salt and pepper. To avoid crowding the pan, brown 1/2 the chicken at a time, skin-side down, for 5 minutes, then turn the chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Remove the browned chicken to a plate and add to the pan the sliced fresh mushrooms, browning the mushrooms for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, salt, and pepper and stir 10 minutes more to soften.
• Deglaze the pot with the Marsala. Add the chicken pieces back to the pot and arrange the vegetables and mushrooms on top. Remove the porcinis from the small pot, roughly chop, and add to chicken. Pour the porcini stock over the chicken, reserving the last couple of spoonfuls, as this is where any grit may have settled.
• Cover and braise at a low simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium flame, or in a preheated 325 degree F oven, and heat through 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with quick-cooking polenta or crusty bread, and garnish with chopped celery tops.

BRAISED GOCHUJANG CHICKEN WITH MISO EGGPLANT TERRINE

Steps:

• Salt the chicken thighs on all sides and let rest for 15 minutes at room temperature. Pat them dry, then sear in some oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat skin-side down until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side. Add broth, gochujang, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, 2 tablespoons mirin and half the ginger. Mix well. Reduce heat to low and cover the pot, leaving a small crack for steam to exit. Braise for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pulse the scallions, the remaining ginger and 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil in a food processor. Season to taste. Set aside.
• Whisk miso, egg, remaining 2 tablespoons mirin and 1 tablespoon sesame oil together in a shallow bowl. Spread panko on a sheet tray. Slice eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks. Dredge eggplants in miso batter, then panko. Arrange on another sheet tray. Continue this process until all the eggplant is done.
• Heat frying oil to 350 degrees F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven. Fry eggplant until the panko is golden brown and the eggplant is cooked through. Layer eggplant, tofu, then ginger-scallion sauce in a casserole dish. Repeat until eggplant is done.
• Remove the chicken from the pot. Julienne the Napa cabbage and add to the pot. Cook the cabbage on medium-high heat until wilted and sauce is reduced, about 5 minutes.
• Slice the eggplant terrine and place on plate. Spoon vegetables on plate, then add chicken on top. Spoon extra sauce and vegetables over the chicken and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH OKRA AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain; leave the drippings in the pot.
• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and dust with the flour. Add skin-side down to the pot with the bacon drippings; cook until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim the okra and thinly slice the onion. Remove the chicken to a plate; add the okra, onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until the onion starts softening, about 4 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pot with your hands and stir well; bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken skin-side up in the sauce. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the okra is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir the reserved bacon into the okra mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken and okra mixture with cornbread.

BREADED RANCH OR RANCHERO CHICKEN

Steps:

• In bowl, combine cereal, salad dressing mix and cheese.
• Dip chicken into melted butter, then dip into above mixture.
• Bake in a greased, 9x13 dish, uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

CHICKEN RANCHERO

Steps:

• Saute chicken over medium heat,in olive oil about 5 minutes.
• Add onions and continue cooking until chicken is done and onions are soft (about 10 more minutes).
• Add garlic, green chiles and broth.
• Bring to boiling.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
• Stir in salsa.
• Bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Gently fold in cubed cheddar cheese.
• Serve immediately over beds of rice.