Braised Chicken Thighs with White Beans and Tomatoes

The Story

This is a one-pan dinner that moves between stovetop and oven. Gunner's sage and thyme find their natural home in a ragout that could have come from a Florentine farmhouse — the blend bridges the American BBQ tradition with something older and more Mediterranean.

Instructions

1. Sear the Thighs. Season chicken thighs aggressively with Gunner Blend on all surfaces. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear thighs skin-side down for 8–10 minutes without moving — you're building a crust. Flip and sear 3 minutes more. Remove to a plate.
2. Build the Ragout. In the same pan, sauté garlic and shallot in the rendered chicken fat. Add white wine and scrape the fond. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, beans, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer and nestle the chicken thighs back in, skin-side up (keep it above the liquid to stay crispy). Transfer to a 375°F oven for 30–35 minutes until thighs reach 175°F.
3. Finish and Serve. Remove from oven. Fold spinach into the ragout and let it wilt in the residual heat. Fry fresh sage leaves in a small pan with olive oil until crisp. Serve thighs over the ragout, topped with crispy sage and a drizzle of the sage oil.

Pro Tips

• The Parmesan rind is the secret. Drop it in and forget it — it dissolves slowly and gives the ragout a depth you can't explain.