Mark Peel & Daphne Brogdon's Chicken Thigh Throwdown

Daphne’s Chicken Ingredients:
• Half cup chicken broth
• Half onion chopped • ¼ cup maple syrup • ¼ cup soy sauce • Sliced garlic under the skin • Salt, pepper
Recipe:

1. Boil orzo.
2. Mix chicken broth, onion, maple syrup, and soy sauce together.
3. Place sliced garlic under skin.
4. Marinate chicken for a few hours.
5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the liquid and finish baking another 10 minutes without the broth.
7. Drizzle with maple syrup.
8. Strain the juice.
9. Drain the orzo and mix in the liquid from the chicken to add flavor.

Mark’s Braised Stuffed Chicken Thighs with Orzo Ingredients:
• 4 ea chicken thighs, 8 oz ea. Boneless
• 7 oz chicken sausage • ¼ cup of diced white onion • 2 cloves of garlic, minced • 2 oz white mushroom, washed, chopped and sauteed • ¼ cup of orzo cooked al dente • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper • ½ tsp dried oregano • ½ tsp dried basil • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Recipe:

1. Mix thoroughly the chicken sausage with the onion, garlic, mushroom, orzo and spices. Set the mixture in the freezer for fifteen minutes.
2. Divide the sausage into four equal parts and pat each part to eliminate air bubbles. Form each into a log and place into the middle of the meat side of each boned out chicken thigh.
3. Roll and tie each thigh.
4. Season the thighs lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Over medium high heat in a heavy cast iron skillet with a little vegetable oil brown the chicken thighs then set aside.

Braising the Thighs
• 1 cup diced white onion
• ⅓ cup diced carrot • 4 ea medium white mushroom washed and sliced • 2 cloves of garlic • ⅓ cup of orzo • Pinch crushed red pepper • ½ tsp dried oregano • ½ tsp dried basil • 1 ½ cup of chicken broth • Salt and pepper
Recipe:

1. Dump out the excess oil then put in the onions, carrots, mushrooms and garlic and reduce the heat to medium.
2. When the vegetables have lightly browned add the herbs and spices and season lightly with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly.
3. Add the chicken broth to the pan and, when it has come to a simmer, add the orzo and the chicken thighs. Do not crowd them.
4. Turn oven to 400 degrees and place the pan in the oven. Let it braise for 25 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove the strings and serve in the same pan.

Get more from Award-Winning Chef Mark Peel at chefmarkpeel.com. And make sure you visitn Comedic Blogger Daphne Brogdon at coolmom.com.