Indian-Spiced Chicken with Chickpeas and Spinach

Dishes like this make me like chicken again.  Not that I am a chicken hater or anything.  I used to like roast chicken and to prefer dark meat but in recent years I tend to find dark meat too fatty or too boring or messy or just don't want to deal with it.   I often grill or roast chicken breasts and I use chicken sometimes IN things.  But this dish made me remember something I had not had in a long time -- super ridiculously tender fall-off-the bone dark meat that you only get from braising and long cooking.  The spice combination just makes this dish awesome.  And I love spinach and chickpeas in pretty much everything.  Here's the recipe.

Indian-Spiced Chicken with Chickpeas and Spinach
(from Bon Appetit January 2013)
Serves 6 

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
6 bone-in chicken legs (thigh and drumstick), skin removed (I used 5 and I accidentally left on the skin. Next time I would remove it, as it just got soggy and we pulled it off anyway.  but it did not detract from my love of the dish)
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1Tbsp. grated peeled ginger
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground tumeric
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 15-oz. can chicpeas, rinsed
2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
5 oz. baby spinach (about 8 cups lightly packed)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves to garnish

Basmati rice or flatbread for serving.

Instructions:

Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  

Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium high heat.  Season chicken with salt and working in batches, cook chicken, reducing heat asneeded to prevent over-browning, until gorlden brown on all sides (8-10 minutes).  Transfer to a plate.

Add butter and oinions to drippings in pot, season with salt.  Cook, string often until onions are soft and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. 

Stir in garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, tumeric, and cayenne.  Cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in chickpeas and 2 cups broth, then return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot.  Add more broth if needed to cover chicken about three-fourths of the way up.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover pot and transfer to oven.  Braise chicken until fork-tender (45-60 minutes). 

(NOTE: The chicken can be prepared up to this point 3 days ahead.  Let cool slightly, then chill, uncovered, until cold.  Cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.)

Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.  Add spinach to pot, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand until spinach is wilted, 5-7 minutes.

Stir yogurt into cooking liquid.  Season with salt.  Return chicken to pot.  Warm over low heat (do not boil or yogurt may curdle).

Transfer chicken to a large deep latter. Pour spnach and chickpea sacue over.  Sprinkle with cilantro.  Serve with Basmati rice or warm flatbread.  Enjoy!