Cocoa-orange Braised Chicken

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 lb)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process cocoa)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (preferably ceylon)
• 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided
• 2 oranges, washed and patted dry (about 1 1/2 lbs total)
• 1/4 cup orange muscat dessert wine (or use a sweet wine, if you can't find the dessert wine)
• salt
• italian parsley (sprigs for garnish, also called flat-leaf parsley)

Recipe

• 1 rinse chicken and pat dry. cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks.
• 2 heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. transfer with a slotted spoon to a rimmed plate.
• 3 add onion, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, sugar, cumin, and cinnamon to pan. cook, stirring often, until onions are limp and spices are fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
• 4 add 1/2 cup broth to pan and stir to loosen and bits stuck to bottom. simmer until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.
• 5 return chicken to pan. using a zester or fine grater, grate enough peel (orange part only, no ) from one of the oranges to make 1 tsp zest. juice the orange into a liquid measuring cup. add zest and 1/2 cup juice to pan (save any remaining juice for another use). cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is no longer pink in center, about 8 minutes (cut to test).
• 6 meanwhile, cut and discard peel and membrane from remaining orange. thinly slice crosswise into rounds; set aside.
• 7 when chicken is done, skim any fat from sauce and discard. add wine and bring to a boil over high heat. add salt to taste. pour into a serving dish and garnish with orange slices and sprigs of parsley.