One-pot dishes are all about planning well and laying out your prep in a smart sequential order. The beauty of this dish is the vinegar, which is malty, nutty, and nuanced. I love a Philippine cane vinegar called Datu Puti. Great stuff, super-inexpensive, and readily available at most Asian grocery stores.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 2 as a big main course or 4 as a small one

　　4 chicken thighs, each weighing 5 to 6 ounces (total of 2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs)

　　1/2 teaspoon sea salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　16 pearl onions, peeled

　　1/4 teaspoon smoked hot paprika

　　3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

　　1 cup cane vinegar

　　1 cup chicken stock

　　2 large navel oranges, cut into supremes

　　1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

　　2 cups cleaned spinach (stems removed)

　　

Step 1

Season the thighs with the salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot that has a lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the thighs, skin side down, and let them cook without moving them around for 7 minutes. You are encouraging good caramelization of the skin and developing a ton of flavor in the process. After 7 minutes turn the thighs over and add the onions, paprika, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the vinegar, being careful not to let it flame up.

　　

Step 3

This is a good time to get a spatula and loosen up all of those pan drippings. The vinegar needs to cook down by half, and when it does, add the stock. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, remove the lid, and add the oranges, mint, and spinach. Stir lightly and serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from A New Turn in the South by Hugh Acheson, © 2011 Clarkson PotterHUGH ACHESON is the chef/partner of the Athens, Georgia, restaurants Five and Ten (named best Atlanta restaurant by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and The National; the shop Gosford Wine; and his Atlanta restaurant, Empire State South. He is a five-time James Beard nominee for "Best Chef Southeast" and was named "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine. He lives in Athens with his wife and their two daughters.