Description
Chicken Leg Confit is a classic French dish featuring tender, slow-cooked chicken legs preserved and cooked in fat for incredible flavor and moist texture. This recipe uses a blend of herbs and garlic for aromatic seasoning, with duck fat or olive oil to perfectly braise the chicken until it falls off the bone. Finish with a quick sear for crispy skin and serve with your favorite sides for a delicious main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 chicken legs (drumstick and thigh attached)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups duck fat or olive oil (enough to fully submerge chicken)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels to remove any moisture. This helps the seasoning stick and ensures better texture.
- Season and Marinate: In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Rub this mixture evenly over the chicken legs. Place the seasoned chicken in a dish along with smashed garlic cloves and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight to allow flavors to infuse.
- Preheat the Oven: When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C), a low temperature ideal for slow cooking and tenderizing the chicken.
- Rinse and Dry: Lightly rinse the chicken to remove excess salt from marinating, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure proper cooking.
- Submerge in Fat: Place the chicken legs in a Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof dish with garlic and bay leaves. Pour in enough duck fat or olive oil to fully submerge the chicken, ensuring even, slow cooking.
- Braise Slowly: Cover the dish with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The low heat gently renders the fat and makes the meat incredibly tender, easily pulling away from the bone.
- Remove and Crisp: Take the chicken legs out of the fat. For perfectly crispy skin, sear the legs skin-side down in a hot skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes just before serving.
Notes
- Store leftover chicken submerged in the cooled fat in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks to preserve flavor and moisture.
- Duck fat offers the most authentic and rich flavor, but olive oil is a suitable substitute if unavailable.
- Serve chicken leg confit with roasted potatoes, sautéed greens, or crusty French bread for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
