Braising is a technique that “makes heroes out of weekend cooks,” said Bon Appétit. To achieve “restaurant-quality results”with a dish like this “golden and fragrant” Indian dinner, all you need is a heavy-lidded pot and a little patience.
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 bone-in chicken legs, skin removed
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 onions, sliced thin
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1½ tbsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, and turmeric
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- one 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed
- chicken broth
- 5 oz baby spinach
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
Set oven to 325. Heat oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken and cook in batches until golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Add butter and onions to drippings in pot; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened onions are golden brown. Stir in garlic and next five spices. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in chickpeas and 2 cups broth. Return chicken and juices to pot. Add broth until chicken is three-fourths submerged. Bring to a simmer.
Cover pot and transfer to oven. Braise chicken until fork-tender, 45–55 minutes. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil. Add spinach to pot, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand until spinach is wilted, 5–7 minutes. Stir yogurt into cooking liquid. Season with salt. Return chicken to pot over low heat. Transfer chicken to a deep platter. Pour spinach and chickpea sauce on top. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serves 6.
