easy braised chicken legs (grain free, scd diet)

these may or may not qualify for the proper definition of “braised,” but they are fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy, and flavourful slow-cooked chicken legs that everyone will love.

I randomly tried making chicken like this one day and it quickly became my new favourite method for cooking chicken. I tried a variety of chicken cuts too – full chicken, chicken thighs and chicken legs. They’re all delicious actually, but this one happens to be for legs – feel free to sub in bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or a full chicken if you prefer!

When you slow cook chicken covered and baste frequently, as I do in the recipe below, you end up with the most flavourful, tender chicken that would please anybody. It’s also relatively easy – you do need to remove it from the oven and baste several times, but I still consider the recipe rather low maintenance for the result that you achieve.

It’s a good dish for slow weekends or hosting family or friends, when you want something that seems more complicated than it is to make! It also works well for meal prep, if you do have time to cook it on the weekend and then serve it on weeknights by simply reheating in the oven until warm.

It’s also a dish that’s cooked in liquid gold – because the chicken is so tender too, it makes it the perfect main to accompany something you can use to soak up all that liquid and tender-y goodness, hence my recommendation for either cauliflower or regular rice in the recipe below. It would also be fantastic with the more traditional sides of carrots and potatoes (if your dish is big enough you could hypothetically cook those directly in the dish.

Find the full recipe below, and drop a comment or review if you try making it! Follow me on Instagram @grainfreee for more recipes and food inspiration daily!

A few more recipes if you’re looking for some yummy meal ideas:

• AIR FRYER WHOLE ROASTED ROTISSERIE-STYLE CHICKEN
• THE EASIEST & MOST DELICIOUS FALL-APART BLADE ROAST
• LEMON GARLIC BUTTER PAN-FRIED CHCKEN THIGHS WITH GREEK SALAD
• FIGGY PAN-FRIED CHICKEN & PROSCIUTTO WITH PARMESAN-AVOCADO SALAD

braised chicken legs: ingredients

• 5 chicken legs
• 3 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2  tsp coriander
• 1/2  tsp cumin
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 + 1/2  cups chicken stock (swap with water if you don’t have any stock on hand)

braised chicken legs: how to

1. start by mixing together your spices.
2. cover the chicken legs in your spice rub, and place the chicken legs (some may overlap) in a large braising dish, or some sort of dish that can be covered in the oven (aluminum foil can work as coverage as well!).
3. once the chicken legs are placed in the dish, add the extra virgin olive oil and garlic on top. surround the chicken with the stock (i try to avoid dumping it directly on the chicken as i also want to keep the spice rub and colour from the spice rub in tact!)
4. place the cover on the dish and bake in a preheated oven at 330 for 40 minutes.
5. remove, uncover, and spoon the liquid in the pan over the chicken. cover and return to the oven for another 40 minutes and repeat this.
6. when returning to the oven again, turn up the heat to 350 (still covered) for another 30 minutes, and then baste again.
7. return covered to oven for another 20 minutes, and baste one more time.
8. finally, in order to get the top a bit crispy and perfectly browned, return to the oven uncovered, increase the temperature to 370, and allow to roast for 20 more minutes or so.
9. serve with cauliflower rice or regular rice, and a side of steamed broccoli.

Print Recipe

braised chicken legs

these may or may not qualify for the proper definition of "braised," but they are fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy, and flavourful slow-cooked chicken legs that everyone will love.

Course: Main Course

Servings: 5 chicken legs

Author: rose of grainfreee.com

Ingredients

• 5 chicken legs
• 3 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2  tsp coriander
• 1/2  tsp cumin
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 + 1/2  cups chicken stock swap with water if you don't have any stock on hand

Instructions

• start by mixing together your spices.
• cover the chicken legs in your spice rub, and place the chicken legs (some may overlap) in a large braising dish, or some sort of dish that can be covered in the oven (aluminum foil can work as coverage as well!).
• once the chicken legs are placed in the dish, add the extra virgin olive oil and garlic on top. surround the chicken with the stock (i try to avoid dumping it directly on the chicken as i also want to keep the spice rub and colour from the spice rub in tact!)
• place the cover on the dish and bake in a preheated oven at 330 for 40 minutes.
• remove, uncover, and spoon the liquid in the pan over the chicken. cover and return to the oven for another 40 minutes and repeat this.
• when returning to the oven again, turn up the heat to 350 (still covered) for another 30 minutes, and then baste again.
• return covered to oven for another 20 minutes, and baste one more time.
• in order to get the top a bit crispy and perfectly browned, return to the oven uncovered, increase the temperature to 370, and allow to roast for 20 more minutes or so.
• serve with cauliflower rice or regular rice, and a side of steamed broccoli.