Serves 4 to 6

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry with paper towels
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large onion, halved through the root and thinly sliced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with their juice
  • 3 thyme sprigs, plus more for topping
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for topping, optional

Sear the Chicken

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches, place the chicken, skin-side down, in the oil and cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Set the browned chicken pieces on a large plate while finishing the rest.

 

Make the Sauce

If the pan looks dry after browning the chicken, add a drizzle of oil. (Alternately, if a lot of fat gets rendered during browning, pour out all but about 2 tablespoons.) Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the onion powder, red pepper flakes, if using, tomato paste, and brown sugar, followed by the wine, tomatoes, thyme sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

 

Simmer Time!

Return the browned chicken pieces and any juices accumulated on the plate to the pan (it is okay if the chicken isn’t fully submerged); raise heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, basting the chicken occasionally with the sauce, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 50 minutes.

 

To Serve

Remove the chicken pieces and arrange on a serving plate. Increase heat under the pan to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon the sauce over and around the chicken and top with a few additional thyme sprigs and chopped parsley, if desired.