Chicken Fricassée with Artichokes

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pat it dry thoroughly inside and out. Use kitchen tweezers to remove any pin feathers or quills as needed. Let it come to room temperature before cooking, a minimum of 1 hour. (If you have time, the chicken will brown better if you leave it like this, uncovered, in the refrigerator, for 24 hours before cooking.)

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Cut the chicken into 10 pieces. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season well with salt and pepper. Transfer the artichokes to a kitchen towel and pat dry.

In a 7-quart (6.6-L) or similar-size braising pan or Dutch oven with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan, sear the chicken pieces skin-side down until the skin is golden and crisp on the first side, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the pieces to the meaty side and finish searing, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and repeat with the remaining chicken, if necessary. Carefully remove the oil from the pan, wiping out any burnt bits, but leaving browned bits for flavor.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Carefully add the artichokes, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring a few times, until slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary if the artichokes brown too quickly. Transfer the artichokes to a separate bowl.

Add the lemon juice, butter, and vinegar to the pan. Cook for about 15 seconds, then add the chicken, coating each piece with the vinegar mixture and then leaving it skin-side up in the pan. Pour in the white wine. Return the artichokes to the pan, then add the garlic, capers, sage, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer.

Cover and transfer the braising pan to the oven and cook until tender and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes (shorter for a smaller chicken, longer for a larger bird).

Serve directly from the braising pan or neatly arranged on a warm serving platter.

Allow any leftovers to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat fully before serving.

Cut 2 of the lemons into wedges and the third one into 1⁄4-inch (6-mm) slices. Set 2 lemon slices aside. Place the remaining slices in a large bowl and fill the bowl about halfway with cold water. Set aside.

One by one, as you prepare the artichokes, rub them with lemon wedges and place them in the prepared lemon water. (This will prevent them from browning.) First, peel off the tough outer leaves until you get to the tender, pale-green inner portions. Cut off most of the pointy top of each artichoke (you’ll leave about 1 inch / 2.5 cm of the tender bottom portion of the artichoke above the stem) and peel and trim the stems. Then, using a paring knife, “turn” each artichoke: Smooth out the broken edges left from removing the outer leaves. You want to remove all tough, fibrous parts of the stems. Cut the trimmed artichokes in half lengthwise. Finally, use a teaspoon to remove the hairy choke. (The larger the artichoke, the more choke there will be to remove. For baby artichokes, you may not see any to remove.)

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt and bring to a boil. Remove the artichokes from the acidulated water and drain on a clean kitchen towel. Add them to the boiling vinegar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes (or 8 minutes for baby artichokes), or until the artichokes are just shy of completely tender when poked with a small, sharp knife.

Carefully remove the artichokes from the brine, reserving some of the peppercorns and bay leaves, and place on a clean kitchen towel to drain slightly. Discard the brine. Place them carefully in a warm sterilized 1-quart (1-L) jar along with the peppercorns and bay leaves and add olive oil to cover completely. Add the 2 reserved lemon slices over the top and cover tightly with the lid. Let cool and store in the refrigerator for at least 4 weeks, or up to 3 months, before using.

When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and allow the jar to come to room temperature until the olive oil liquefies. (You can reserve any leftover oil, which will have a bit of vinegar in it, for use in vinaigrettes.) Return the jar with any unused artichokes to the refrigerator for up to 3 months total.