16 Healthy Braising Recipes to Ease the Pain of Winter

Easy, braise-y, beautiful

February 18, 2018

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We're big believers in the power of cooking away the cold. Classic braises like short ribs and brisket will always do the trick, but, this winter, we're working in a few healthy braising recipes that are still totally soul-satisfying. From savory artichokes to fork-tender slow-cooked squid and plenty of braised chicken, these are the braise-y recipes we're cooking right now.

Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
1/16
Lemony Braised Chicken Legs and Tomatoes
If you are on the fence about cinnamon in savory dishes, this could be the chicken recipe that puts it in your YES column.
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Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Angharad Bailey
2/16
Slow-Cooked Squid with Olives and Herbs
Slow-cooking breaks down the squid’s collagen so you’re left with fork-tender flesh and a tomato sauce infused with rich, briny flavor.
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Eva Kolenko
3/16
Braised Artichokes With Tomatoes and Mint
Pick artichokes with tightly packed, squeaky-firm green leaves and a fresh-looking cut on the stem end.
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Alex Lau
4/16
Curried Chicken Drumsticks
Braising bone-in chicken in your dish helps build flavor and sauce depth.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen
5/16
Chicken and Tomato Stew with Caramelized Lemon
Cooking lemon slices to almost-burnt adds a layer of complex flavor to this comforting stew.
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Alex Lau
6/16
Quick Braised Kabocha Squash
This braised kabocha squash recipe leads to a super satisfying, healthy, one-pan lunch or side dish.
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Alex Lau
7/16
Braised Spiced Chicken Wraps
Perhaps not strictly authentic, but delicious!
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Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen
8/16
Lamb and Winter Squash Soup
If you can’t find delicata squash in your neck of the woods, acorn or butternut will do the trick.
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Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
9/16
Braised Chicken Thighs With Squash and Mustard Greens
Don’t have an acorn squash for this chicken thighs recipe? Use butternut. Not into mustard greens? Use kale, Swiss chard, or spinach.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
10/16
Vinegar-Braised Chicken Legs
We love homemade vinegar, but, yes, you can use supermarket stuff for this, and it will still be awesome.
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Dan Monick
11/16
Braised Greens with Aleppo Oil and Feta
Also known as the “cooked to hell” method, this braise renders the greens meltingly tender.
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Gentl & Hyers
12/16
Braised Chicken with Artichokes and Fava Beans
Browned for deep flavor (and good looks), then braised for succulent results, this spring chicken has it all.
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Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
13/16
Kimchi-Braised Chicken with Bacon
To make the finished dish less of a knife-and-fork affair, remove the braised chicken from the bone, shred it with a couple of forks, and then stir it back into the tomato-kimchi sauce.
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Bobbi Lin
14/16
Braised Chicken with Chickpeas and Swiss Chard
The chicken should be falling-apart tender; if it starts to shred when you plate it, that’s a good sign!
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Alex Lau
15/16
Gochujang-Braised Chicken and Crispy Rice
Long-grain rice is not starchy enough to hold together, so make a batch of short-grain a day ahead and you’ll be good to go.
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Bobbi Lin
16/16
Braised Swiss Chard with Bacon and Hot Sauce
For this recipe, the greens taste best if sautéed just before serving, but you can cook the bacon and stems ahead; leave the pan on an unlit burner 'til go time.
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