Braised Chicken with Sweet Onions and Parmigiano

Ingredients

• 16 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 4 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rinsed thoroughly, and drained
• 10 medium red onions, halved and sliced into thin half-rounds
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Sangiovese di Romagna
• 1 cup whole milk
• 8 slices Tuscan or other country bread
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper, then arrange them skin side down on an oiled broiler pan with a little space between each piece. Broil until the first side is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the thighs over and broil until the skin is dark golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Take them out and let them cool skin side up, either on the broiler pan or on a platter.
2. While the chicken is under the broiler, warm the pancetta in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Cook until the fat has melted out and the pancetta is crisp, then lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it on a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Add the leeks and onions to the pancetta fat and cook over medium-low heat until they have softened and slumped. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking, stirring now and then, until the vegetables turn a deep brown, about 20 minutes. As they cook, heat the chicken stock in a saucepan until it reaches a high simmer.
4. Stir the flour into the onion mixture until it disappears smoothly. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the wine, milk, and stock, and bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and cook at a lively simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Nestle the chicken thighs into the onion mixture, adding any juices that have collected with them, and bring everything back to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through and the juices are clear, 12 to 15 minutes.
6. When it is time to serve, preheat the broiler again. Set the bread slices on a cookie sheet and toast them under the broiler. Drizzle the toasts with the olive oil, then place 1 toast in each warmed soup bowl. Set 2 thighs on top of each toast, spoon ¼ cup of the onion mixture over each thigh, and finish with the pancetta and Parmigiano before serving.