Chicken Confit: How To Make A Tender, Flavor-Packed French Culinary Delight

Chicken confit is a slow-cooked French culinary technique that involves curing chicken in salt and cooking it slowly in fat until it becomes meltingly tender. To begin with, the term is French and quite literally means “to preserve.” It makes the chicken juicy and crispy since it penetrates into the meat and makes the surface very crispy.

In this piece of writing, we will discuss how to prepare chicken confit and present three wonderful recipes that put a different spin on the dish.

What is Chicken Confit?

Derived from the French term ‘confit’, meaning to ‘preserve’, it also means a cooking technique of salting and cooking meat slowly in fat. Duck confit is probably the most known, but a chicken confit has occupied the most admired position for its usability and rather easy preparation. Normally, duck, goose, or chicken fat or olive oil is used in this dish that adds flavor and preserves the tenderness of the meat.

The Process of Making Chicken Confit

• Curing the Chicken: The first of the stages in the preparation of chicken confit is that meat is cured, salted, and herbed. This curing step is useful in infusing flavors into the chicken as well as dehydrating it, which is a plus when it comes to slow cooking.
• Slow Cooking in Fat: Not only is this necessary in tenderizing the meat, but it also acts to preserve the meat. The most popular fat used is olive oil or rendered chicken fat; however, duck fat and avocado, among others, can also be used.
• Crisping the Skin: It should be the last thing that is done after the chicken has been cooked on low heat, and that is crisping the upper surface of the chicken. It is usually done by broiling the chicken or by searing the chicken in a hot pan.

Classic Chicken Confit with Garlic and Thyme

This classic chicken confit recipe is characterized by the absence of any special ingredients. It is a combination of garlic, thyme, and olive oil, which brings out a distinct, inviting taste that goes well with the mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups olive oil

Instructions

1. Take the spiced-up chicken thighs and thoroughly sprinkle salt and pepper on them.
2. Chicken thighs need to be put into a container along with garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and covered. Leave in the fridge for twelve hours minimum.
3. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
4. Rinse the salt from the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
5. Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish and cover with olive oil, ensuring that the meat is fully submerged. Cook in the oven for 3 hours or until the chicken is tender.
6. Remove the chicken from the oil and place it skin-side down in a hot skillet. Sear until the skin is golden and crispy. Serve immediately with your choice of sides.

Garlic Chicken Confit with Braised Carrots

Garlic Confit Chicken with Braised Carrots is a rich, flavorful dish that combines tender, slow-cooked chicken with the sweetness of braised carrots and the heartiness of pearled barley.

Ingredients

• 2 whole chicken legs
• 10 garlic cloves
• 4 shallots
• ½ cup olive oil
• 8 oz. carrots
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ cup pearled barley

Directions

• When both pans are done cooking, take off the foil. Remove the chicken pieces from the oil with caution and place them aside. Remove the garlic and oil; save the oil to create mayonnaise or to drizzle over or dip in.

• After you’ve returned the chicken to the pan with the skin side up, put it in your suvie. Adjust the broiler to high for 10 minutes, watching it closely the final two minutes to avoid scorching.

• Using a fork, fluff the barley and taste to adjust the seasoning. Place aluminum foil over and transfer the pan into the upper right zone of the Suvie.

• Peel the carrots and put them in another Suvie pan. Cut the butter into tiny chunks and spread them over the carrots. Drizzle chicken stock and honey over the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cover with foil. Put this pan in the top left zone.

• Put the pearled barley in the starch pan, season with salt, and place it in the bottom right corner. Set the Slow Cook settings on your Suvie:
  • Protein: Low, 4 hours
  • Starch: 50 minutes

1. When both pans are done cooking, take off the foil. Remove the chicken pieces from the oil with caution and place them aside. Remove the garlic and oil; save the oil to create mayonnaise or to drizzle over or dip in.
2. After you’ve returned the chicken to the pan with the skin side up, put it in your suvie.
3. Adjust the broiler to high for 10 minutes, watching it closely the final two minutes to avoid scorching.
4. Using a fork, fluff the barley and taste to adjust the seasoning. Cover the garlic confit chicken with the braised carrots and laced over the pearled barley. Bon Appetit very much!

Honey Garlic Chicken Confit Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken cutlets, diced
• ¼ cup flour
• ⅓ to 1 cup fresh garlic cloves (depending on preference)
• ⅓ cup oil chicken,
• ½ cup honey
• 2 frozen garlic cubes or 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to a temperature of 350F (175 degrees).
2. Coat the diced chicken in flour by putting it in a bowl or bag with the flour and mixing it until all portions are coated.
3. On a baking pan that measures nine by eight, add the fresh garlic cloves in a preferred amount. Top with the fried chicken over the garlic.
4. In another bowl, combine the mixture of oil, honey, crushed garlic, soy sauce, and black pepper. This mixture should be poured over the chicken so every piece is coated by the sauce.
5. Make sure the fresh garlic cloves are tucked under the chicken to allow them to soften during cooking. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour.
6. After 1 hour, check the softness of the garlic. If it hasn’t softened fully, bake for an additional 30 minutes. For a more golden color, remove the foil and bake uncovered for the last 10-15 minutes.
7. Serve the honey garlic confit chicken over rice for a flavorful meal. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Chicken confit pairs beautifully with a variety of side food dishes. Douse it over creamy whipped smoothened potatoes or a plateful of roast veggies like carrots, parsnips, et cetera. The fried green makes for an interesting accompaniment with the chicken confit cooking because the vinegar helps to cut through the fat, making the dish more appealing.

Conclusion

Chicken confit is perhaps one of the best kinds of cooking chicken, where the quality of the meat is at its highest and the tenderness is unbelievable. People have different tastes in flavors, be it simple garlic and thyme, lemon and rosemary, or even paprika. French cooking is always pretty amazing. Use these recipes the next time you have dinner and serve chicken confit.