This recipe is a perfect example of why a recipe is a guide and not something that must be strictly followed in order to achieve success.

My sister, Dixie J, shared this New York Times Cooking recipe with me after she had made it. It was originally a ‘dump everything into a slow cooker’ recipe. While these sound great, the result is usually not as tasty. Dixie wisely adapted it for a Dutch oven. She also took the time to brown the chicken and sauté the vegetables before adding everything to the pot. She then cooked it in the oven for an hour and a half (versus the six or so hours in a slow cooker). 

When I think of ragù, I usually think of beef and not chicken. When Dixie shared this recipe, I was intrigued and wanted to give it a try. I made a few additional minor changes myself – adding in celery (going for the French mirepoix of onions, carrots and celery) and some red wine.

If you prefer to go the slow cooker route, instead of putting everything into a Dutch oven and into the oven, you can add everything to a slow cooker and cook for six hours on low (I’ve included a note in the recipe in case you want to do this).

While the ragù is cooking, prepare the herbed ricotta. Please don’t be tempted to skip this step as Dixie said it “puts this dish over the top.” She was so right! You can add as little or as much as you want – it provides just the right amount of creaminess along with flavor from the herbs and lemon.

So as not to forget to add the balsamic vinegar and basil at the end, I like to put it right next to the stove as soon as the Dutch oven goes into the oven. I still might miss it but I have a better chance of not doing so! Adding a bit of acid in the form of vinegar brings accentuates the flavors.

The chicken is done when it’s very tender and easily shreds using two forks or your hands. You can prepare this dish a day in advance and reheat it. It also freezes well. I served this with short pasta but if you prefer long pasta or gnocchi, that works just fine.

This is a great example of how a recipe evolves each time someone new makes it.

Chicken Ragù with Herbed Ricotta

 

Chicken Ragù with Herbed Ricotta
5.0 from 1 reviews
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Author:
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients
Ragù
  • 8 boneless/skinless chicken thighs (~ 1-1/2 pounds)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 handful torn fresh basil leaves
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
Ricotta
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta
  • ¼ cup chopped soft fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, oregano and/or basil
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Serve with short pasta
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides of each with salt and pepper.
  3. In a 6 to 7 quart Dutch oven (with a lid), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. You may need to do this in two batches. Transfer thighs to a large plate and pour off all but 2 teaspoons of fat from the frying pan (add more olive oil if needed).
  4. Over medium heat, add onion, carrots and celery. Season with salt. Stirring frequently, cook until just softened, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for 1 minute.
  6. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
  7. Add wine to deglaze pot, scraping any brown bits up at the bottom of your pot with a wooden spoon.
  8. Add crushed tomatoes and stir.
  9. Add thyme, rosemary and chicken to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
  10. Cover pot and transfer to the oven and cook for about 1-1/2 hours or until the chicken is very tender. (Alternatively you could add everything to a slow cooker at this step and cook on low for 6 hours.)
  11. Place the balsamic vinegar and basil near the stove (so you don’t forget to add it).
  12. While chicken is in the oven, mix ricotta, herbs, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  13. Remove the pot from the oven. Discard herb sprigs.
  14. Shred chicken with two forks.
  15. Stir in balsamic vinegar and torn basil.
  16. Serve warm over short pasta topped with herbed ricotta.
Notes
* Ragù and ricotta can be made a day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Warm ragù over medium-low heat on top of the stove.
* Recipe freezes well.
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Source:  Variation on recipe from New York Times Cooking