Chicken Confit
Slow-cooked chicken legs submerged in olive oil and aromatics for 12-14 hours, resulting in incredibly tender, flavorful meat that keeps for weeks.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg portions with thighs attached, excess fat trimmed and reserved
- 1 tbsp kosher salt, plus 1/8 tsp
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 10 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 0.5 tsp black peppercorns
- 0.5 tsp table salt
- 4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken leg portions with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and black pepper. Place the garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns in the bottom of a glass or plastic container.
- 2
Place the chicken portions, flesh to flesh, on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Top with the reserved chicken fat. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Remove the chicken and rinse with cool water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat dry.
- 4
Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme and chicken fat in the bottom of an enameled cast-iron pot. Sprinkle with peppercorns and table salt. Lay the chicken on top, skin side down. Add the olive oil.
- 5
Cover and bake for 12-14 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone. Remove the chicken from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve.
- 6
Pick the meat from the bones and place in a stoneware container. Cover with some of the strained fat, making a 1/4-inch layer. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.