Braised chicken with white beans & farro
Yesterday afternoon, I was digging around the fridge and pantry to see what I could put together. There wouldn’t be time to eat out, so I needed to figure something out. And there’s got to be a word for the magic that happens when it just works. This dish turned out so delicious, with so much depth of flavor, that I really wanted to share it with you guys!
This is a true one-pot meal, and each ingredient is important for building flavor. We’re using three different aromatics here: onion, garlic and shallot. I would probably have added leeks if I’d had any. But if you’re missing any of these, no big deal. But because this dish is so simple, I wanted to give the sauce as much of a boost with these aromatics as I could.
When you first put all the ingredients into the pot, it’s going to seem really watery, but this is intentional so that there’s enough liquid for the farro to absorb as it cooks.
The farro goes in as one of the last steps because it only needs about 20-30 minutes to cook. I love farro and don’t cook enough with it - it has such a beautiful texture and it’s full of fiber and nuttiness (without being…nuts).
You can see the finished product on my Instagram at The Asian Allergy Mom.
Braised chicken with white beans & farro
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 TBS neutral oil such as canola
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 13.5-oz can creamy beans (great northern or pinto), including liquid
1 cup chicken stock (homemade preferred)
1 cup water
Table salt
4-5 bone-in chicken thighs
2 bay leaves
1 cup farro, rinsed
1 bunch asparagus, hard stalks cut off and then cut in half or thirds.
Optional garnishes:
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Microgreens
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F with the wire rack in the center of the oven.
Heat a large Dutch oven on the stove, medium heat. Add 2 TBS oil and all aromatics: onion, garlic, shallot. Sautee until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add canned beans including the liquid, chicken stock, water and bay leaves. Add 1/4 tsp table salt. Add chicken thighs.
When the sauce is at a steady boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and then put the entire Dutch oven into the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Using oven mitts, place Dutch oven onto the stove on medium heat. Add farro, and stir so that farro is submerged. Scatter asparagus pieces, trying to allow them to have some contact with the sauce. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. With oven mitts, put the lid back on and place Dutch oven back into oven. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Remove Dutch oven from oven, remove lid, check doneness of farro. If it’s still hard, cook a little longer on the stove top on medium heat, covered. Salt to taste.
When farro is done, serve on a plate with chicken next to farro/bean mixture, or in a bowl with chicken sitting on top of the farro/bean mixture. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Allergens: wheat
