Weeknight Chicken

Ingredients

Use any combination of white and dark meat. For even cooking, halve breasts crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk 2 tablespoons broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until no lumps remain: reserve. Combine remaining broth, wine, garlic and thyme in a large measuring cup.
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat schmaltz in large ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken skin side down, until well browned, 6 to 10 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes.
Slowly pour broth mixture into skillet and bring to boil. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until white meat registers 160 degrees and dark meat registers 175 degrees, 18 to 24 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and tent with aluminum foil. Discard garlic.
Pour pan juices into liquid measuring cup; skim and discard fat. Return 1 1/2 cups defatted pan juices to now-empty skillet and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserved cornstarch mixture and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.

by Connie Jones