This is one of my husband's favorite meals. The chicken is juicy, succulent and infused with layers of flavor. The oil the chicken is cooked in is saturated with roasted garlic, shallot, herbs and lemon, and then it's all strained, leaving behind all the flavor in the oil. I cook the chicken in this oil to a crispy perfection, without burning all the aromatics, but still keeping all the flavor. Carrots and onions are steamed on top of the chicken until they're tender and moist. Then it's all topped with a creamy, satiny sauce.
Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, removed of all fat
¼ cup flour, for dredging
2 Tablespoons flavored oil (recipe follows)
½ Tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ Tablespoon lemon juice
2 onions, sliced into half circles
1 bag petite baby carrots (or slice carrots into ¼ -⅓ inch thick, 1 ½ inch long strips)
½ cup chicken broth (may need to use a little more)
3 oz cream cheese
salt, pepper
Fresh parsley, minced
Flavored oil:
½ cup canola oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced (or ½ small onion)
zest from one lemon
2 Tablespoons of herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc)
Combine all the ingredients for the flavored oil in a cold skillet.
Cook on medium heat until the garlic and shallots are golden brown. 
Strain. Reserve the flavored oil and use for salad dressing, or to cook other dishes. It has such an amazing, in depth flavor! Wipe out the skillet, you'll use it to cook the rest of the meal. 
Prepare the chicken thighs. I cut out all the fat from the chicken thighs. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. 
Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 2 Tablespoons of the flavored oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice in the same large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the chicken in flour and place in the skillet. Cook until golden on both sides. 
Top with the onions, season with salt and pepper. 
Add the carrots on top of the onions and season with salt and pepper also. 
Pour in the chicken broth, until it barely covers the food. 
Cover and continue simmering for about 30 minutes until the carrots are tender. If you use regular baby carrots, you will need to cook it longer. I would just use regular carrots and cut them to the correct size or cut the baby carrots in half. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and vegetables to your serving dish (I like serving this on top of rice). 
Meanwhile, take the remaining juices from the pan, strain them and make sure you have at least ½ a cup. Add more chicken broth if necessary. Return to the same skillet and add the cream cheese. Yep, we just made the whole meal in one skillet! I'm always up for less dishes to wash:). 
Melt the cream cheese in the broth, constantly whisking, to have a smooth consistency. 
Pour over the chicken and vegetables and garnish with minced parsley.
Rustic Chicken with Carrots and Onions
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Entree
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, removed of all fat
- ¼ cup flour, for dredging
- 2 Tablespoons flavored oil (recipe follows)
- ½ Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 onions, sliced into half circles
- 1 bag petite baby carrots (or slice carrots into ¼ -⅓ inch thick, 1 ½ inch long strips)
- ½ cup chicken broth (may need to use a little more)
- 3 oz cream cheese
- salt, pepper
- Fresh parsley, minced
Flavored oil:
- ½ cup canola oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced (or ½ small onion)
- zest from one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons of herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the flavored oil in a cold skillet.
- Cook on medium heat until the garlic and shallots are golden brown. Strain.
- Reserve the flavored oil and use for salad dressing, or to cook other dishes. It has such an amazing, in depth flavor.
- Wipe out the skillet, you'll use it to cook the rest of the meal.
- Prepare the chicken thighs. I cut out all the fat from the chicken thighs. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat 2 Tablespoons of the flavored oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice in the same large skillet on medium high heat.
- Dredge the chicken in flour and place in the skillet.
- Cook until golden on both sides.
- Top with the onions, season with salt and pepper.
- Add the carrots on top of the onions and season with salt and pepper also.
- Pour in the chicken broth, until it barely covers the food.
- Cover and continue simmering for about 30 minutes until the carrots are tender. If you use regular baby carrots, you will need to cook it longer. I would just use regular carrots and cut them to the correct size or cut the baby carrots in half.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and vegetables to your serving dish (I like serving this on top of rice).
- Meanwhile, take the remaining juices from the pan, strain them and make sure you have at least ½ a cup. Add more chicken broth if necessary.
- Return to the same skillet and add the cream cheese. Yep, we just made the whole meal in one skillet! I'm always up for less dishes to wash:). Melt the cream cheese in the broth, constantly whisking, to have a smooth consistency.
- Pour over the chicken and vegetables and garnish with minced parsley.
Hi Olga. I want to thank you for this recipe. It’s so good! I’ve made this many times and it has never failed me 🙂 I can’t believe that there are not more excellent reviews for this!
That's wonderful, Julia. I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to write.
I made this several times and it’s really awesome! Thanks Olga!
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Julia:).
The chicken recipe is really tasty. My husband and kiddos said the flavor was very good. I will be keeping this in our rotation of chicken recipes for sure. Also loved that it was a one skillet/pot meal. Thanks!
That's wonderful, Nicole! I'm so glad your family enjoyed it. Than you for taking the time to write. I love one pot meals too - so convenient and easy.
Hi love your blog.
Do you think i can use turkey thighs in this recipe. My husband doesn't eat chicken and I really want to try this recipe.
Thanks
You probably can, Alesya. I don't see why it wouldn't work out. Just cut the turkey thighs into the smaller pieces.
This is an AMASSING recipe.... i loved how the flavored oil made my house smell with such great aroma.... and the flavors were amazing !!!! There were a few things i changed though .... i didnt throw away the stuff that i drained from the flavored oil but instead added it into the rice i was about to cook and added some with wine to it and created a rossito rice (italian rice) and i also deglazed my pan with the white wine where I cooked my chicken ... this created a great flavor before I started layering it all together ... Loved it so much ... Its a great meal to make to impress someone thank you OLGA!!!
I'm so happy to hear that, Alena! That's great that you all enjoyed it. This is a favorite in our family.
How long do you approximately cook the chicken thighs on each side (I know you said until golden but just approximate). Looks extremely delicious.
It's very hard to say exactly, Vita. It depends on how thick the chicken is, what kind of skillet you're using, your stove, etc. It's best to judge the doneness by the looking at the color of the meat. Besides, you don't have to worry about the chicken being underdone, since it will still be cooking in the broth for a while. As long as you don't burn it, there is nothing to worry about.
I made this chicken yesterday and everyone loved it! Another wonderful recipe! I cannot express how much I love this web-site!
I am making beef goulash right now. It is almost done and I can already tell it will be wonderful! Thank you again!
Thanks for writing to tell me, Ksenia! I really appreciate that you took the time and also for visiting my blog:). Priyatnogo Apetita:).
Is the skillet/fry pan youre using in your "shop"? I like how deep it is. Thx!
No, Olga; it isn't. I actually wouldn't recommend buying the specific brand that I have now, since the skillet burns very easily and cooks unevenly. I do LOVE how it's designed and is so deep. I will actually be buying the same type of skillet, except another brand. I will definitely add it to the Shop if I like it. I only put things in the Shop that I absolutely love and would recommend for others to buy:).
I just made, this... very delicious! The white sauce on top is amazing!! !Where else can i use it? i also added chopped fresh parsley to the rice. Thanks Olga!!
That's great, Olga! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. You can serve the sauce with other chicken dishes too.
I love adding fresh parsley to rice too:).