Chicken confit in olive oil
The amount of olive oil may seem enormous, even extravagant, if using quality olive oil. However, you can keep the oil, which is now quite flavorful, and use it when cooking on low heat.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken legs
- 4 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 3 cups olive oil
- 2 tsp Herbes de Provence
- 8 juniper berries (opt.)
- 2 Tbsp black peppercorns
Method
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1
Rub chicken with salt. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate 24 hours.
-
2
The following day, preheat oven to 250 °F. Wipe chicken legs with a paper towel and wipe off any unabsorbed salt.
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3
Place chicken legs, spices and oil in an ovenproof pot. Cover (with a lid or aluminum foil) and place on the center rack of the oven.
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4
Cook until the meat is very tender, between 2 and 2½ hours. After the first hour, check to make sure the legs are still immersed in the oil.
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5
Remove dish from the oven and let rest for a few hours until it reaches room temperature. Place legs in individual plastic bags with ¼ cup of oil. Press out any air in the bags as you close them. Refrigerate if you plan on eating them within the next 15 days; otherwise, freeze them.
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6
Filter oil into a jar and refrigerate. You can also freeze the bouillon found at the bottom of the dish and add it to soups. Be careful- it is flavorful but quite salty.
A variation of the Duck Confit from The Spice Trekkers Cook at Home
