Make Ahead

Chicken Braised with Coffee and Asian Pears.

by:
April  5, 2011
4.3
7 Ratings
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

This chicken dish would be equally good with another kind of poultry or even thick cut pork chops. Adding coffee and peanut butter gives it a deep and unique flavor.
You may like to substitute leeks with fennel, Asian pears with apples or other fruit that you like, and also to use other spices.
Kukla

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • • 8 large chicken thighs bone in
  • • 1 tablespoon oil (canola, grapeseed or vegetable)
  • • 1 medium onion sliced in ¼- inch slices
  • • 2 leeks cut in half and then in ¼ -inch slices (use only the white and light green parts)
  • • 2 Asian Pears, unpeeled, cored, and cut in ½- inch slices
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (preferably homemade)
  • • 1 tablespoon butter.
  • • 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso powder
  • • ½ cup strong freshly brewed coffee
  • • 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
Directions
  1. Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.1. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, cinnamon, mustard, and Instant Espresso powder. 2. Rub all over chicken thighs.3. In an ovenproof skillet that is large enough to fit all the thighs in one layer, heat the oil over high heat, brown chicken thighs about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.4. Transfer the thighs to a large plate and set aside.5. Add onions, leeks, and the Asian pears to the skillet, lower the heat, and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, to make sure they don’t burn.6. Deglaze with the chicken broth and the freshly brewed coffee, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. 7. Return the chicken thighs with the juice from the plate to the skillet.8. Place in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes.
  2. 9. When ready to serve, arrange the thighs, onions, leeks and the Asian pears, on a large platter. Stir in butter and peanut butter to the pan juices, and pour over the top. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the chicken. Serve with wild or brown rice pilaf.

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1 Review

Alyssa A. December 10, 2018
I'm glad that I cut the salt. This was tasty but didn't wow me - the asian pear just didn't have enough oomph.