Equally a stew and a braise, this soup combines the caramelized flavors of French onion soup with the heart-warming goodness of a slow-cooked homemade chicken soup into something like the Platonic ideal of The Brothy Bowl. Plus, all the magic happens in one dish – pop it in the oven for a few hours and let your home fill with warmth and the radiant smell of a savory, slurpy, succulent dinner to come.   

Ingredients

6 Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

2 tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. bay leaf powder

1 tsp. ground white pepper

1 tsp. Kosher coarse salt

4-5 medium yellow onions

2 tbs. butter

1 ½ tbs. Rhea The Deep Fermented Black Garlic Concentrate

¼ c. dry white wine

1 ½ - 2 c. chicken stock

1 tbs. soy sauce (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Pat the chicken dry and coat with salt, bay leaf powder, and white pepper.
3. Chop onions lengthwise into thin slivers.
4. Heat olive oil on high in a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot and sear chicken thighs on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the thighs from the pan and set aside.
5. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt.
6. Add the onions to the pan, turning to coat them evenly in the butter. Once the onions begin to wilt, add The Deep and stir to evenly coat the onions.
7. Once the onions are translucent and begin to brown at the edges, add the white wine and stir to combine.
8. Nestle the seared chicken thighs among the onions so that they are mostly submerged and not touching one another.
9. Add the chicken stock, adding enough to cover the onions and chicken by about 1-inch.
10. Cook for 90 minutes.
11. Once the onions have melted into a silky soup, remove the stew from the oven and pull the thighs apart using two forks. Taste for saltiness. If it needs a bit more salinity, add a dash of soy sauce. You could stop here and delight in a perfect winter soup. Or, you could add some torn leafy greens, carrots, beans, or herbs. You could top with olive-oil crispy croutons or simply ladle some into a bowl and get warm from the inside out.