Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Thighs

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day, spoiling mom, being spoiled, celebrating your friends who are moms, you know the drill. We took my mom out to lunch and enjoyed a DIY bloody mary bar, a present for everyone!Today's recipe is also a present for everyone. Roasted chicken thighs cooked into a creamy roasted red pepper sauce (bonus, I tell you the easy way to make your own roasted red peppers if you prefer over jarred). You only need a handful of ingredients to throw this baby together, and the fruits of your labor are endless. You can also switch this recipe up, by using chicken breast if you prefer, chicken broth over wine, or heavy cream over cheese. See? Versatile. 

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken thighs (can be bone-in or boneless)
• 1 tbsp. bacon fat or high-heat oil
• 1 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped**
• 1 cup white wine or broth
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• fresh basil for garnish

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the fat, or oil if you are using, to medium-high heat. Add in the chicken thighs and sear until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the heast and set aside.

In the same hot skillet, add in the roasted peppers and garlic, saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the wine, or broth, a little at a time, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce just slightly. Then add in the softened cream cheese and whisk until combined and the sauce is creamy.

Add the chicken thighs back into the skillet to heat back up. Serve hot with fresh torn basil leaves. 

**I prefer to roast my own red peppers instead of buying them in the jars. Simply cut out the core and the seeds of 2 red bell peppers. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until softened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool enough to handle by hand. Peel off the roasted skins and discard. Ta-da! Roasted red peppers.