Description
Chicken Leg Confit is a slow-cooked dish where chicken legs are gently simmered in fat with garlic and herbs until tender, then seared for a crispy skin. It’s rustic, comforting, and elegant, perfect for both family meals and entertaining.
Ingredients
4 chicken legs (drumsticks or thighs)
2 cups duck fat or chicken fat
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C).
- Arrange chicken legs in a single layer in a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot.
- Pour fat over the chicken until fully submerged. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook in the oven for 2.5–3 hours until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- Remove chicken carefully from the fat. For crispy skin, sear in a hot skillet with a little oil for 2–3 minutes per side.
- Serve hot with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a salad.
Notes
Olive oil can replace duck or chicken fat for a lighter version.
Try different herbs like sage or tarragon for variation.
Add crushed red pepper or smoked paprika for a spiced version.
Chicken can be stored in its fat in the fridge for up to 1 week.
The cooking fat can be strained and reused for other recipes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
