Braised Chicken with Garlic

How to prepare braised chicken with garlic

1. Pat the thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and coarsely ground pepper on both sides. Place on a plate and pour the oil over them. Massage gently. Let them sit until they come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). You can use as many thighs as will fit in a single layer in your pan (I used a 25 cm diameter pan) without crowding or overlapping. Ideally, use a cast iron or ceramic pan for beautiful, even browning.
2. Heat the pan without anything in it and place the thighs skin-side down. Pour over them everything from the plate they rested in (oil, seasonings).
3. Let the thighs brown without moving them too much, just occasionally lift one gently to check the color. It takes about 10 minutes to get nicely browned over medium-low heat. You'll see the thighs have released fat and juices into the pan.
   
4. Flip the thighs and let them cook on the other side for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from heat and when the oil calms down, add the water and sprinkle a little salt into it.
6. Cover the pan and place it in the oven preheated to 180°C. Let the chicken cook completely, about 35 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the meat to a plate. Boil the remaining sauce in the pan over high heat for about 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the finely chopped dill while it's boiling. Remove the pan from heat.
   
9. Add a few tablespoons of the sauce from the pan to the mayonnaise and mix. Pour the mayonnaise into the pan and stir well. The mayonnaise is made with milk and we don't want it to curdle, so don't boil the sauce after this. Adjust the salt in the sauce.
   
10. Return the thighs to the pan and spoon the garlic sauce all over them. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
11. Serve warm, with soft polenta.

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