Name: Braised Chicken Legs With Grapes and Fennel
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick; about 3½ lb.), patted dry; 4½ tsp. kosher salt, divided; 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 medium fennel bulbs (about 1 lb.), plus ¼ cup coarsely chopped fronds; 1 lb. Red Flame or green table grapes, stems removed (about 2 cups); 1 cup unsalted chicken broth; ¼ cup honey; 4 tsp. Calabrian chile paste or chopped Calabrian chiles; 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Photo of braised chicken with grapes and fennel.

Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo

Think of the grapes in this chicken recipe as something like a rustic way to braise chicken in wine. Here, though, you get all the flavor—while saving your wine for drinking. Red or green table grapes are sweet but also have just the right amount of acidity for this dish. I build on that with sweet fennel and honey, spicy Calabrian chile paste, and red wine vinegar for brightness. While half of the grapes are breaking down in the bottom of the pan, lending their juices to the sweet-spicy braising liquid, the remaining grapes rest atop the chicken and stay intact, emerging from the oven glistening and burnished.