Turmeric Braised Chicken with Golden Beets and Leeks is a flavorful dish layered with vegetables and spices, covered with wine and baked in a casserole dish. What emerges from the oven once it’s done is the most incredible tasting chicken dish. A rich, golden broth with the perfect balance of flavors that will make you want to lick the bottom of the dish. It’s THAT good!
Golden beets, turmeric – I just love the colors in this dish! And the flavors were balanced and so flavorful, I made this two nights in a row! This dish is from Phoebe Lapine, book author of the Wellness Project, a book that chronicles her journey to heal her autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) while finding a balance to make a series of lifestyle changes. Her book has practical advice on fitness, sleep, relaxation, hormones, as well as cooking advice. There’s even 22 inflammation-fighting recipes for better digestion, clearer skin and a thriving thyroid, including this one.
I enjoyed this recipe as is. But if you want to swap the beets for another vegetable, I think potatoes would also work great. You can easily modify this to be Whole30 by swapping the wine for chicken broth.
Turmeric Braised Chicken with Golden Beets and Leeks
Ingredients
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only
- 1 bunch, 4 golden beets with their greens, scrubbed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 skinless chicken drumsticks, on the bone
- 4 skinless chicken thighs, on the bone
- 1/2 cup white wine, swap for chicken broth for whole30/paleo
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Slice the leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse them, fanning out the outer layers to wash away any grit. Slice the cleaned leeks into thin half-moons.
- Remove the greens from the beets. Rinse them and coarsely chop. Halve the beets and cut each section into four wedges.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the leeks, beets, and beet greens together with the garlic, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, ginger, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or casserole pan and arrange in an even layer.
- Add the chicken and the other teaspoon of turmeric to the mixing bowl and toss to coat in the remaining turmeric mixture. Transfer the chicken legs to the baking dish and nestle in the beet mixture.
- Drizzle any of the remaining marinade over the top of the chicken and pour the wine around the sides of the dish.
- Roast, uncovered, until the chicken is fork-tender and the beets are soft, about 1 hour.