Braising chicken is a great way to lock in moisture and flavour!  The braising method starts with browning (or searing) cuts of meat and then simmering them in liquid until they are perfectly tender. 

When braising chicken, you should use bone-in, skin-on pieces such as chicken legs or thighs.  Not only will they brown up nicely with the skin on but these darker cuts of meat will be moister than the white cuts.

Here’s a recipe that you can use to master the basics of braising.  Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can start experimenting with different flavours.

What you’ll need:

• 1 chicken in pieces (bone-in, skin-on)
• About 2 cups of vegetables (carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and onions), chopped
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of braising liquid (wine, juice or broth)
• 1 large oven-safe pot
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp oil

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (170°C)
2. Add oil and butter to the pan and melt over medium-high heat.
3. Add chicken pieces to the ban and brown in batches.  Set chicken aside.
4. In the same pot, add the vegetables and place the chicken pieces on top.
5. Pour in the braising liquid, cover pot with lid and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Check out our “How to Braise Chicken” video here.