Braised Chicken with Belgian Endive

A delicious pairing that balances the savory, juicy chicken thighs with the slightly bitter, creamy texture of the roasted Beligum endives. Dry white wine serves multiple functional roles here, keeping the chicken moist and tender while adding depth of flavour and adding a balancing acidity to the salty flavours from the bacon. Serve it with some crusty bread to mop up the sauce or over some buttered noodles.


6 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 1 tsp Sea salt, divided 1 cup Dry white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc) Freshly milled black pepper 100 g Thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces 500 g Belgian endive heads, trimmed and halved lengthwise 125 ml Chicken stock 2 tbsp Unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2-3 tbsp Fresh herbs, chopped (such as chives, parsley, and tarragon)

6 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tsp Sea salt, divided
1 cup Dry white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)
Freshly milled black pepper
100 g Thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
500 g Belgian endive heads, trimmed and halved lengthwise
125 ml Chicken stock
2 tbsp Unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2-3 tbsp Fresh herbs, chopped (such as chives, parsley, and tarragon)

Sprinkle chicken thighs evenly with sea salt and place them in a large bowl. Add wine, and turn chicken to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Remove chicken from bowl and reserve the marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season with freshly milled black pepper. Set aside.
Cook bacon in a large nonreactive skillet over medium, stirring often, until crisp and fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl. Reserve rendered fat in skillet. Place chicken thighs, skin side down, in skillet. Cook over medium-high, undisturbed, until skin is deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a large plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in the skillet and save the rest for other uses.
Return skillet to heat over medium-high. Add endive halves, cut sides down. Cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip endive cut sides up, and add stock, cooked bacon, and reserved marinade. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in the skillet. Bring to a boil over high.
Transfer skillet to preheated oven. Roast until endive is tender and a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers at least 77C/170F, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken and endive to a large platter, reserving sauce in skillet.
Bring sauce in skillet to a simmer over medium-high. Simmer, undisturbed, until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, mustard, and herbs. Spoon sauce over chicken. Enjoy!

19 comments:

DEZMOND 12/5/26 13:05: Hope you are having a nicer weather up in the North, we finally got some nice strong rain to fill our rainwater buckets and sate the poor plants.
Christine 12/5/26 14:04: Yummy
Anonymous 12/5/26 14:28: Belgium endive is not a vegetarian that I see that often but it is worth seeking out for a recipe like this. Karen (Back Road Journal)
Tom 12/5/26 14:41: ...another masterpiece.
Margaret D 12/5/26 14:58: Looks and sounds good, Angie.
Federica Simoni 12/5/26 15:12: wow buonissimo!
Lola Martínez 12/5/26 15:19: No conozco la endivia belga, no sé si será igual o parecida a las que consumo pero en cualquier caso este guiso merece mis respetos por lo rico que es.
Brian's Home Blog 12/5/26 15:44: That is a whole lotta yum!
Lori 12/5/26 16:13: It does look very delicious.
eileeninmd 12/5/26 20:33: A yummy chicken recipe, thanks for sharing.
Take care, enjoy your day!
foodtravelandwine 12/5/26 20:45: This is a Gourmet dish!!...I love it!!.......Abrazotes, Marcela
Ananka 12/5/26 20:48: Looks nice :-D
Linda's Relaxing Lair 12/5/26 20:59: This looks very tasty, dear Angie!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen 12/5/26 21:13: This sounds absolutely delicious, Angie! I love the slightly bitter endive with the rich braised chicken - such an elegant combination.
Anne in the kitchen 12/5/26 22:51: Oh, Wow!!!!
My name is Erika. 13/5/26 02:50: This looks really tasty too. :)
Tandy (Lavender and Lime) 13/5/26 05:51: This is one I will save for Europe when we can get endive.
Modrina Neba 13/5/26 05:59: Excellent food, the only thing I miss on the menu is potatoes, rice, or dumplings :))
Greetings!
David M. Gascoigne, 13/5/26 12:25: A wonderful dish, Angie. I am sure that a glass of Sauvignon Blanc is a mandatory accompaniment!