Want truly tender chicken? Give it the low-and-slow confit treatment

The term confit is French for "to preserve" and it's most often associated with duck. A time-honored method, it also works with other meats, as well as citrus fruit, garlic, onion and even eggs. But these days the reason to confit food (unless you don't have a refrigerator) is purely for the way it enhances taste and textures.

Chicken legs and thighs confit beautifully. They are less expensive, less messy and more versatile than duck and just as satisfying. The dark meat, when slowly braised in olive oil instead of duck or chicken fat, becomes dense and deeply flavorful while the kitchen fills with aromas of rosemary and garlic.

The chicken becomes so decadently tender and moist that I usually double the amount needed for one meal to have leftovers to enjoy through the week. It can play a starring role in pastas, grain pilafs, soups, stews, sandwiches and as a pizza topping. The rendered schmaltzy chicken fat that remains in the baking dish is a wonder for roasting vegetables, sizzling eggs and whisking into a vinaigrette. It will keep at least a week or more in the refrigerator. (Well, not in this kitchen, as I use it up well before that.)

Confit takes some time, but it's a hands-off process. The chicken is seasoned overnight with garlic and herbs, then it's snugged in a shallow pan, covered with plenty of oil and roasted using very low heat for a couple of hours.

To make a meal of it, crisp up the legs and thighs in a hot oven, roast potatoes in the rendered oil and fat until golden, and whisk that same oil into a sharp, mustardy vinaigrette to toss with dark greens. This simple dinner is the best anecdote to the effects of snow and subzero temps.

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Be warned, this chicken is extremely rich — a small portion delivers outsized pleasure — and must be prepared in advance. You may want to serve just one piece per person and save the rest to enjoy later in the week. Store the rendered schmaltzy oil in a covered jar in the refrigerator for several weeks. This recipe is not a true confit, in that the chicken pieces are not completely submerged in an inch of fat, yet they become just as tender and tasty. From Beth Dooley.

• Coarse salt and black pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 5 cloves garlic, smashed

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 1 1/2 c. olive oil

• 1 1/2 lb. small Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved

• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

• 6 to 8 c. arugula

Directions

To prepare the chicken: Bring chicken to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Arrange the chicken legs and thighs in baking dish so they are snug and lying flat. Pour the oil over the chicken and tuck the lemon slices alongside the chicken pieces. Put the chicken in the oven, uncovered, and roast until it is so tender it falls off the bones and the lemons are caramelized, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven. Set the chicken on a plate and drain the oil into a heat-proof jar.

To prepare the potatoes: Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet, toss with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the oil from the chicken and arrange the potatoes cut side down; sprinkle with a little coarse salt, and place in the oven. Roast until golden and crisp, about 40 minutes. (Once the oil from the chicken has cooled, cover and store in the refrigerator.)

To prepare the arugula salad: In a small dish, whisk together the mustard, vinegar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved chicken oil. Put the arugula into a medium bowl and toss with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat.

To finish the dish: Return the chicken to the original baking dish and bake at 425 until the skin is crisped, about 5 minutes. To serve, arrange the salad on a plate, place the chicken on the arugula along with the potatoes, season with more vinaigrette, salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with a roasted lemon slice.