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Easy Braised Chicken Breasts with Leeks and Coconut Milk

Adapted from Molly Gilbert's One Pan and Done, this easy braised chicken recipe uses a French-Vietnamese mash-up of flavors: coconut milk, tarragon, leeks and scallions. And it comes together in one pan! Duh. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (or 1 whole chicken cut into parts)
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 medium leeks white and light green parts only, sliced into half-moons and rinsed of any grit
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • One 1-inch piece of ginger peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • One 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon plus more for garnish
  • 3 scallions white and light green parts only

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and place a rack in the center position.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or lidded saucepan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear, without moving, until the pieces pull away easily from the bottom of the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook two minutes more. If your pot is crowded, remove the chicken to plate (this was necessary for me), and then add the leeks, garlic, ginger, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring to incorporate. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the broth, coconut milk, and tarragon. Return the chicken to the pot if you removed it and bring to a simmer.
  • Cover the pot, slide it into the oven, and bake until cooked through or a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees F, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Serve hot sprinkled with the scallions, some extra tarragon and lemon wedges.

Notes

  • I had to take the chicken out of the pan to make room for the veg.
  • Serve with lemon wedges on the side for some extra acid. The zest added a lovely fragrance to the braising liquid.