Braised Chicken Thighs

from: Tara Flake

Original Recipe: Emeril's Braised Chicken Thighs
This is time consuming, (simmers for almost an hour) but very easy. Just plan ahead!

Ingredients
4-6 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), trimmed of any skin or fat. (Either boneless or bone-in is fine)
1-2 tablespoons Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning (you can buy Emeril's Original Essence or make your own; I make this dinner a lot so I make my own)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter (or dairy-free margarine for lucky girls like me)
2 cups thinly sliced yellow or white onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
a few dashes of dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Cooked white rice or mashed potatoes, for serving

Cooking Directions
Season the chicken all over with the Essence. Place the 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl, and quickly dredge both sides of each thigh in the flour, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch flameproof casserole or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, and when it has melted, place the chicken in the pan. Brown for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, and when it has melted, add the onions, garlic, thyme and the black pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the onions and cook for 2 minutes longer. Then whisk in the chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Return the chicken to the pan, and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Uncover the pan, stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, and turn the chicken over. Cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes longer.

Stir the bottom of the pan a final time, turn chicken over and re-cover, and simmer for 20 more minutes. Add the parsley to the sauce, stir to combine, and then serve the chicken over rice or mashed potatoes with the sauce on top. If the sauce is a little thin, continue to simmer and add a little cornstarch/flour and water slurry to thicken.