Chicken osso bucco recipe: The easy weeknight dinner you have to try

While Osso buco is traditionally made with slow-cooked veal shanks, I’ve adapted the same great flavors to make a simple weeknight chicken dinner. In just 45 minutes or so — mostly unattended cooking time — you will have a meal that is not only wonderful the first night, but makes great leftovers. (It also freezes well).

Chicken Osso Buco

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided

8 to 10 chicken drumsticks (about 2 ½ pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium onions, chopped (2 cups)

2 celery stalks, chopped in ¼-inch pieces

2 carrots, chopped in ¼-inch pieces

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2/3 cup red wine

2 14.5-ounce cans petite diced tomato

1. Combine the flour with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Dredge the drumsticks in the mixture.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the drumsticks in a single layer and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan.

3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet. Add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, basil, oregano and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan, until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and gently simmer, turning the chicken after 15 minutes. Cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees, about another 15 minutes.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS