Chicken thighs turn tender and gently sour in a quick braise with the white wine vinegar from this shelf, its acidity cutting through butter and garlic to make a light pan sauce. The mother settling at the bottom does no harm and adds nothing but integrity to the dish.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 410 calories a serving, 30 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Pat four bone-in chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on both sides. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the thighs skin-side down and sear without moving for 4 minutes, until golden.4 min
2. Flip the thighs skin-side up and transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons butter and 4 smashed garlic cloves to the skillet, stirring gently for 1 minute until fragrant, then pour in 1/2 cup white wine vinegar and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom.1 min
3. Return the thighs to the skillet along with any juices, add 4 sprigs fresh thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and braise for 20 minutes, turning the thighs halfway through, until the meat is tender and pulls from the bone easily.20 min
4. Transfer the thighs to a serving plate. Tilt the pan and skim any fat from the surface, then taste the sauce and add salt or more vinegar as needed. Spoon the warm sauce with the garlic cloves over the chicken and serve at once.

Note Swap thighs for a split chicken breast if you prefer white meat, though it will dry out faster; braise for only 15 minutes. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for three days and are good cold or gently reheated. Serve with crusty bread to soak the sauce, or with rice to stretch the dish for one more plate.