Braised Chicken Thighs, Tomato, Cabbage, Capers, Meyer Lemon, Thyme

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use bone-in with skin too, if skinned, make sure you cook skin side down, first and then flip before putting in oven)

1/2 can tomato sauce

Meyer lemon

capers, 2 -3 tbsp

EVOO

salt / fresh ground pepper

1/2 head of cabbage, sliced

fresh thyme sprigs

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oven proof pan over high heat. Add EVOO until smoking. Add chicken thighs, season with salt and/pepper. I like to use the umami mushroom blend from Trader Joes as well. Let the chicken get crusty, browned before flipping to alternate side. Add cabbage around thighs to do the same. Get some nice color here. Add capers. You can add onion / shallot / or garlic too, or even some olives if you have on hand. I kept it simple as I didn’t have any. Once the thighs and cabbage have some color. Add in tomato sauce, about 1/2 a can. You can use whatever brand you like, I used organic Whole Foods. Slice Meyer lemon (or lemon). Remove seeds then squeeze atop chicken / cabbage then wedge them into the pot. Add thyme sprigs. Let the flavors meld and then put entire pan in oven uncovered. for about 20 minutes. Check the chicken to make sure done before removing.

Serve with a Bibb lettuce salad, dijon vinaigrette and fresh herbs.
And if you’d like, some really crusty bread to dip in the juicy tomato sauce.

**oh and if you indulge in dairy, a sprinkle of feta atop the chicken is divine … (eat some for me)