SKILLET-BRAISED CHICKEN Quite a few other things may be as delicious as braised chicken legs, but few things braise faster or easier, so, more often than not when I’m in the mood for tender, moist, stewed meat, chicken it is I rarely braise chicken using same recipe twice, but there are some common themes in all of them The key to really great braised chicken is in the browning You’ve got to brown the skin in the skillet until it’s deeply golden brown and extraordinarily crisp, then make sure that the skin remains above the level of the liquid the entire time it’s cooking so that the crispness remains What you end up with is fall-off-the-bone-tender meat deeply flavored with sauce and the crisp skin of a perfectly roasted chicken You definitely want to use dark meat for this It has more connective tissue, which slowly breaks down into gelatin as the chicken braises, lubricating the meat and adding some nice richness to the sauce White meat will just dry out One of my favorite recipes uses a splash of white wine, a can of tomatoes, a handful of chopped capers and olives, and a good sprinkle of cilantro If I’m in the mood, I substitute smoked paprika for the regular kind and sautéed peppers and onions for the tomatoes, omit the capers and olives, and finish it off with parsley and a splash of vinegar Equally good is a version with more white wine, a couple cups of chicken stock, and plenty of parsley and pancetta Yet another variation incorporates mushrooms, shallots, and slab bacon Again, it’s the technique that matters—the flavors are up to you These braises are even better flavorwise the second or third day, though you lose some of the crispness in the chicken skin ...flavors are up to you These braises are even better flavorwise the second or third day, though you lose some of the crispness in the chicken skin