Carmelised Onion Chicken

It’s like French Onion Soup and Pan Fried Chicken had a love child…
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
42g (3 Tbsp) butter
1 Kg (2 pounds / 6 medium) onions, thinly sliced
1 mL (1/4 tsp) baking soda
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 fresh rosemary sprig
15 mL (1 Tbsp) oil (we use chicken or bacon fat)
1Kg (2 pounds / 6-8) chicken thighs
500 mL (2 cups) chicken stock (make at same time - see below)
30 mL (2 Tbsp) Dijon mustard
15 mL (1 Tbsp) balsamic vinegar

Chicken stock (if making)
Skin and bones from chicken thighs
½ an onion
1 celery stalk
1 carrot
Salt and pepper


Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F (160ºC)
De-bone and remove skin from chicken thighs.
Place skin and bones in a pot with 750 mL (3 cups) water, half an onion, 1 celery stalk, and 1 carrot, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Melt the butter in a braiser over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and baking soda and cook, stirring every few minutes.
Continue cooking until the onions are a deep caramel colour - about an hour.
When the onions are caramelised, add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook until fragrant.
Add 1 cup of broth, scrape up any fond on the bottom of the pan, and reduce by half.
When the onions are just about done, sear the chicken.
Heat the oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken on both sides.
Discard the thyme and rosemary stems from the onions.
Transfer the chicken to the braiser with the onions.
Deglaze the chicken pan with 1 cup of chicken stock, scraping up the fond on the bottom of the pan.
Whisk the mustard and vinegar into the chicken stock in the pan you seared the chicken in, and simmer until reduced by about half.
Pour the mustard sauce over the chicken.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.