Braised Chicken Thighs with Winter Vegetables

This dish tastes like chicken pot pie, but, without the gravy or the pie crust, it's less work and less fat.  A great way to use miscellaneous root vegetables (you could substitute beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or rutabagas in for the carrots and turnips).

Serves 4 with leftovers to spare

Ingredients:
8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed well and chopped
6 small turnips (I used Harukei), washed, trimmed, and cut into quarters
4 carrots, washed, trimmed, and cut into big chunks (slightly smaller than turnips)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 clove garlic
2 sprigs thyme and 1 sprig rosemary, tied together in a bundle with kitchen twine
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for sauteing

Method:

 Preheat oven to 300.

1.  Salt and pepper the chicken generously on both sides.  Heat a small amount of oil in a large, ovenproof pot (like a dutch oven).  Brown the chicken, skin side down and then skin side up until it is browned all over (about 4 minutes each side).  Do this in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan.  Remove it from the pan and set aside.

2.  Drain off all but about 1/4 inch of the fat from the pan.  Add the leeks and saute until softened.  Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom.  Cook until the wine is almost evaporated.

3.  Add the carrots, turnips, and herbs.  Replace the chicken thighs in the pan, skin side up,  in a single layer on top of the vegetables.  Add chicken stock, about halfway up the sides of the thighs.  Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven.

4.  Cook until chicken is falling apart and vegetables are completely soft (approximately 40-60 minutes).  Remove from the oven.  Stir in the peas and cover the pot again to allow the residual heat to cook the peas.  Enjoy!