Kimchi-Braised Chicken with Bacon

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 4 ounces slab bacon, sliced ¼ inch thick, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 3½–4-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces; or 4 chicken legs, drumsticks and thighs separated, plus 2 skin-on, bone-in breasts, cut crosswise

  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

  • 8 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 2 cups kimchi with juices, divided

  • 6 ounces wide egg noodles

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons sliced chives, divided

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium and cook bacon, turning occasionally, until brown and lightly crisped, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 


Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Cook, skin side down, in bacon drippings, until skin is very deep golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to plate with bacon, placing skin side up. 


Add garlic and tomatoes to same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly browned and tomatoes have burst, about 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by three-fourths. 


Add half of kimchi and nestle bacon and chicken, skin side up, into tomatoes (make sure chicken skin is above surface of liquid to keep it crispy). Bring to a simmer and cook, reducing heat if needed, until chicken is tender and cooked through, 45–60 minutes. 


Transfer chicken back to plate and bring braising liquid to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, 8–10 minutes.


Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.


Return noodles to pasta pot and add butter and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until pasta is coated with buttery sauce. Season with salt and pepper. 


Stir remaining kimchi into chicken braising liquid; season with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin side up, in braising liquid. Sprinkle half of chives over chicken and half over noodles; toss noodles to combine.


Serve chicken and tomato-kimchi sauce over buttery noodles.

ChickenYve FontileaComment