Rillettes is a sort of chilled pâté made from shredded meat that has been slowly cooked over low heat in an herbed broth that tenderizes it and infuses it with flavor. This rillettes recipe uses a mix of chicken necks, backs, and gizzards that is simmered for over an hour with pancetta, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, lemon juice, and peppercorns. The dark succulent meat from the necks and backs falls off the bone, and the natural gelatin from the bones and joints helps solidify the shredded meat and its juices into a delicious and savory spread that makes any sandwich, cracker, or wrap infinitely tastier. • serves 8
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken backs, necks, gizzards, pancetta, stock, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 3 hours.
Let cool before handling. Discard the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary stems, and peppercorns. Shred the chicken meat with your hands, tearing apart the meat and removing the bones. The meat should come off the bones very easily. Continue pulling at the mixture until the meat is completely shredded. Add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine.
Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap and empty the mixture into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To unmold the rillettes, flip the pan over and remove the pan and the plastic wrap. The rillettes can be thickly sliced and placed on sandwiches or used as a spread on bread and crackers. It will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.