Skillet chicken with basil, cinnamon and tomatoes

Name: Skillet chicken with basil, cinnamon and tomatoes
Ingredients: 1 kg bone-in chicken thighs; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 200 ml fresh tomato juice; 50 ml olive oil; 10 g fresh basil leaves; 100 ml fresh tomato juice for topping up

Meat - Skillet chicken with basil, cinnamon and tomatoes by Clementina H. - Recipia

Skillet chicken with basil, cinnamon and tomatoes braises for 40-50 minutes, until the sauce takes on a reddish color. Cinnamon stays in the background of the sauce, while fresh basil comes through both during cooking and at serving. For the chicken thighs, I choose pieces of a similar size so they cook at the same pace. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 40-50 minutes. Total time: 55-65 minutes. Serves: 4. About 450 kcal and 35 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

1 kg bone-in chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
200 ml fresh tomato juice
50 ml olive oil
10 g fresh basil leaves
100 ml fresh tomato juice for topping up

Preparation

1. Cut the thighs into portions and pat them dry well with paper towels. 2. Place the chicken in a large skillet. Sprinkle with the salt and cinnamon, then pour in 200 ml of tomato juice and the olive oil. Add 5 g of basil. 3. Cover the skillet and braise over low heat for 40-50 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced and turned reddish. If the sauce reduces too much, gradually add up to 100 ml of tomato juice. 4. Sprinkle the remaining 5 g of basil over the top and serve.

Notes

If you don't have fresh tomato juice, replace the 200 ml with 150 g of passata and 50 ml of water; to top up the sauce, keep the passata diluted in the same proportion. Store the cooked chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the sauce will firm up a little as it cools. I start the skillet almost an hour before the meal so I don't have to rush the braising. Choose thighs that are similar in size and have bones of about the same thickness, since pieces that vary can become tender at different times. If the tomato juice is already salted, add only 1/2 teaspoon of salt at the beginning and taste the sauce toward the end. You can use wings instead of thighs; since they're smaller, check them after 40 minutes. Tomato juice with pulp makes a thicker sauce than very clear juice. Serve with polenta or bread so you can mop up the sauce on your plate.