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Chicken and Oats

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Time about an hour

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 to 8 chicken legs (or other bone-in parts, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
  • Salt
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill steel-cut oats
  • Pinch saffron threads or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Pepper
  • 3 cups water or chicken or vegetable stock, plus more as needed
  • 6 ounces snap peas, chopped (or use 1 cup frozen peas)
  • Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, sprinkle the chicken with salt and add it to the pan, meatiest side down. Adjust the heat so the chicken sizzles without burning and cook, undisturbed, until the pieces release easily from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Then lower the heat to medium and turn and rotate the pieces every few minutes so they cook and brown evenly, 5 to 10 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. (It won’t be cooked through to the bone yet.)
  2. Pour or spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan until the onion turns brown in places, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, and oats and cook, stirring constantly, until the oats and vegetables are glossy, about 1 minute. Crumble in the saffron or add the smoked paprika and some pepper and stir.
  3. Add 3 cups water or stock and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken pieces into the mixture and adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles gently but steadily. Cover the skillet and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Then check the oats and chicken. The goal is to have the liquid absorbed, the oats tender, and the chicken no longer pink at the bone. If the oats are dry but the chicken isn’t ready, add another 1/4 cup water, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes before checking again. The meat is done when a quick-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers about 160°F.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Add the peas to the oats and fluff with a fork. Cover the pan again and let it sit for at least 5 or up to 15 minutes. Fluff again and taste and adjust the seasonings. Put the chicken on top and pour over any juices from the plate. Serve with lemon wedges.

— Recipe developed by The Bittman Project for Bob’s Red Mill