Cane Vinegar Chicken with Pearl Onions, Orange & Spinach

A flavorful dish combining tender chicken thighs with pearl onions, fresh oranges, and spinach in a tangy cane vinegar sauce. The chicken is slowly braised until perfectly cooked, creating a delicious blend of sweet, acidic, and savory flavors.

4 servings

39 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•4 pieces chicken thighs, each weighing 5 to 6 ounces (total of 2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs)
•½ teaspoon sea salt
•¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•16 pieces pearl onions, peeled
•¼ teaspoon smoked hot paprika
•3 cloves garlic cloves, thinly sliced
•1 cup cane vinegar
•1 cup chicken stock
•2 pieces large navel oranges, cut into supremes
•1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
•2 cups cleaned spinach (stems removed)

Cooking Instructions

1.
Season the thighs with the salt and pepper.
2 min
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.
12 min
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.
25 min

Ingredients

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

•½ teaspoon sea salt

•¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•16 pieces pearl onions, peeled

•¼ teaspoon smoked hot paprika

•3 cloves garlic cloves, thinly sliced

•1 cup cane vinegar

•1 cup chicken stock

•2 pieces large navel oranges, cut into supremes

•1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

•2 cups cleaned spinach (stems removed)

Cooking Instructions

Season the thighs with the salt and pepper.

2 min

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.

12 min

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.

25 min