4chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)trim fat and excess skin as necessary
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2tbspunsalted butter
1Orange for the zestfinely grated
3/4cupStrained Freshly Squeezed Orange Juicefrom two Oranges
3/4cupTawny Port
1/4cupSoy Sauce
3/4cupcream
4smallFrench Boulesabout 6 inches in diameter or 1 large boule for table service
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Heat butter over medium-high heat in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet. Season the chicken lightly with salt and generously with freshly ground black pepper. Brown chicken pieces on both sides, starting skin side down — about 5-7 minutes total.
Whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, port, and soy sauce in a 2-cup measure and pour over the chicken; it will spatter, so be careful. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven and return to the stovetop. Place chicken pieces on a plate and set aside. Add cream and set heat to medium-high. Reduce cream for about 10 minutes and then add back the chicken pieces, turning to coat, ending with skin side up. Cook another 2-3 minutes to heat the chicken through.
Taking on a Picnic
While the sauce is reducing, cut the tops off the four (4) boules and hollow out the bottom half of the bread, saving the interior for another use (breadcrumbs, gazpacho, stuffing, etc.). Make sure the cavity is just large enough to hold a piece of chicken.
After the chicken is warmed through, place one piece in each boule and divide the sauce among the four chicken pieces. Replace the tops of the boules, wrap each separately in a tea towel, and pack them (right side up) in your picnic basket. When serving, provide plenty of napkins because, as finger food, it is quite messy!
Serving at the Table
You will only need four (4) slices cut from 1 boule. Toast the slices and divide among the four (4) warmed plates, topping each slice with a piece of chicken and plenty of sauce.