Braised Chicken in Cocoa-Orange Sauce Recipe

Braised Chicken in Cocoa-Orange Sauce Recipe

  • 2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs, fat trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons Safeway SELECT Verdi Olive Oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 oranges
  • 1/4 cup orange muscat dessert wine (such as Essensia from Quady Winery)
  • Salt
  • Italian parsley sprigs (optional)
  1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut chicken into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch frying pan (use nonstick if possible) over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  2. To pan, add onion, garlic, cocoa powder, chili powder, sugar, cumin, and cinnamon; stir often until onions are soft and spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth to pan, stir to scrape free any spices sticking to pan bottom, then simmer, stirring often, until onion is soft when pierced, about 5 minutes.
  3. Return chicken to pan. Finely grate enough peel from 1 orange to make 1 teaspoon. Ream this orange to make about 1/3 cup juice. Add peel and juice to pan. Cover pan and simmer over low heat until flavors are blended and chicken is no longer pink in center (cut to test), about 8 minutes.
  4. While chicken simmers, cut peel and white membrane from remaining orange. Thinly slice orange crosswise and set aside.
  5. When chicken is done, skim off any fat from sauce. Add wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with reserved orange slices and parsley sprigs, if desired.