Description
Chicken Confit is a classic French dish featuring chicken legs slow-cooked in olive oil with aromatic herbs, garlic, and lemon. This method results in exceptionally tender, moist meat with crisp, golden skin. The long marination and gentle cooking make it a perfect recipe for flavor-infused, succulent chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds whole chicken legs, or bone-in, skin-on drumsticks or thighs
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 bunch small, thin carrots, preferably with their green tops
- About 10-12 garlic cloves, skins removed, 2 cloves sliced
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
- 1 lemon, seeded (to be used in the oil, not for slicing)
- 2 medium shallots, sliced
Herbs
- 1 bunch thyme
- ½ bunch oregano, plus more leaves for garnish
Others
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken legs generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Place them in a deep dish or container suitable for marinating.
- Marinate: Add the whole garlic cloves (except for 2 sliced cloves), lemon slices, sliced shallots, thyme, and oregano to the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 24 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate and tenderize the meat.
- Preheat and Prepare for Cooking: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pat dry. Preheat the oven to a low temperature, around 225°F (107°C). Place the chicken legs, herbs, carrots, sliced garlic cloves, seeded lemon, and shallots in an oven-safe dish or cast-iron skillet.
- Submerge in Olive Oil: Pour the olive oil over the chicken and aromatics so that the chicken is completely submerged. This slow cooking in oil is essential for achieving the confit texture.
- Cook the Confit: Transfer the dish to the oven and cook slowly for about 1 hour and 5 minutes. The chicken should be tender and easily pull away from the bone.
- Finish the Chicken: For crisp skin, remove the chicken from the oil and place it skin-side down in a hot skillet or under a broiler for a few minutes to render the fat and crisp the skin perfectly.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh oregano leaves and the green tops of the carrots. Serve warm with the cooked carrots and a side of your choice.
Notes
- Chicken Confit is also known as olive oil roasted chicken due to the slow cooking method involving olive oil instead of traditional animal fat.
- The long marinating time (24 hours) is key to impart deep flavor and ensure the chicken is moist and tender.
- Using thin carrots with their green tops adds a fresh, slightly sweet complement to the rich chicken.
- Seeding the lemon used in the oil prevents bitterness from the pith, keeping the confit smooth in flavor.
- Cooking at a low temperature maintains the tenderness while allowing the chicken to absorb the infused flavors from herbs and garlic.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg (approx. 4 oz)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
