Orange and fennel chicken thighs is a classic winter family recipe. I must confess that my mom was making this in batches so that we could eat it for the next couple of days. Both my parents were working, but so lunch and dinner have always been a special moment of connection and bonding. They never missed the time to make a meal that was cooked with love and care.
This chicken is easy to make and if you cook double portion you will have dinner ready and more time to enjoy with you family. The roasted fennel and the oranges will give a special touch to the savory flavors in this recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
– Seasonal ingredients paired with chicken for a meal that is truly Italian in taste and soul.
– Marinate the meat overnight and cook it in less than an hour.
– A complete meal that will require 8 ingredients and 1 pot.
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Orange Ingredients
Chicken: thighs are a dark meat, and for this recipe I picked them with bone in and skin on, in this way there is an extra layer of flavor. You could use either skinless thigh if you are calories conscious. You can also use chicken breast if you prefer white, lean meat. Another alternative it will be to use different chicken pieces.
Blood Oranges Or also recently named raspberry Oranges for their color, they give a nice taste to the dihs and they will make it look pretty thanks to their bright color. You could sub them with Navel Oranges or Cara Cara Oranges.
Fennel: is a Mediterranean vegetable that is very common in Italy. Fennel tastes like anise and in fact “anised-flavored” is the word used to describe it. However its taste is very mild and it has a hint of freshness. Fennel is a tender and crunchy winter vegetable that is great also roasted, like in this recipe. Chose bulbs of fennel that look white and with no brown mark on the outside.
Garlic cloves, Thyme and Rosemary: to enhance the Italian flavor of this recipe.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: it will complement the citrus flavor of the oranges.
White wine: I used Sauvignon Blanc, as it has citrus notes that pair well with this recipe.
Salt and Pepper: I will not add any other spices to make the combination of the flavor and fennel shine through. You could add fennel seeds if you want a stronger fennel flavor in the dish.
You could add green olives for a more briny flavors.
How to make Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Orange
STEP 1: Start by making the marinade: add 3 tablesponns oil, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 cup of orange juice and 1 cup of white wine. Add the chicken thighs, add salt and black pepper. Leave it a few hours or overnight.
STEP 2: Take a pot that could go in the oven and place it on the stove top on medium-high heat. Add the garlic from the marinade and 1 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil shimmers add the chicken skin side down and let them brown on all side.
STEP 3: Pour the rest of the marinade on top, add the fennel wedges and the orange sections, plus a few rosemary and thyme sprigs, include also some fennel fronds and bake it at 350°F for 45 minutes until a thermometer inserted in the thighs reaches a temperature of 165°F.
MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR YOU
PAN-FRIED BREADED CHICKEN BREAST (ITALIAN)
LET’S COOK TRADITIONAL ITALIAN CHICKEN CACCIATORE
COLORFUL ORANGE, FENNEL & BEET SALAD
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This dish is great with some steamed farro, that can be dressed with the chicken sauce: it will be delicious. You can serve it with a little green salad or some roasted potatoes as well. Make a blood orange ricotta cake as a dessert.
STORING SUGGESTIONS
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. You can warm it up in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes or in the microwave.
Which wine to pair with Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Orange
This dish calls for a white and crisp wine with notes of citrus. I recommend a Pinot Grigio from Friuli or a Cataratta from Sicily.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb chicken thighs skin on
- 1 unit blood orange sliced
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 2/3 lb fennel wedged
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup wine white
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- STEP 1: Start by making the marinade: add 3 tablespoons oil, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 cup of orange juice and 1 cup of white wine. Add the chicken thighs, add salt and black pepper. Leave it a few hours or overnight.
- STEP 2: Clean the fennel and cut in quarters. Cut the orange in slices of half inch thickness. discard the extremities.
- Take a pot that could go in the oven and place it on the stove top on medium-high heat with 1 tbsp of EVOO.
- Add the garlic from the marinade and 2 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil shimmers add the chicken skin side down and let them brown on all side.
- STEP 3: Pour the rest of the marinade on top, add the fennel wedges and the place an orange slice on top of each chicken thighs. Add a few rosemary and thyme sprigs, include also some fennel fronds.
- Bake it at 350°F for 45 minutes until a thermometer inserted in the thighs reaches a temperature of 165°F
- Plate the chicken thighs with some fennel wedges, steamed farro and pour over its sauce. Mangia!
Nutrition
Recipe cards powered by WP Recipe Maker.
Piatto veramente invitante e squisito