This is a dish that I’ve been eating for as long as I can remember, and it’s always been a favourite! While it’s a pretty classic dish, this version features a great hack for battling that gelatinous chicken skin that, for many of us, can be a deal breaker. I came across this technique when I started making duck and immediately wondered if it would work for chicken. Well, it does! And it’s awesome!
Thighs are a cut of meat that I’ve always enjoyed, but Evan and I both have qualms with those pesky crevices that never crisp up. Even with a perfect sear, a lot of surface area gets missed, and I find myself cutting away perfectly good skin. In order to get into all those little nooks and crannies, you need something other than a flat heated surface… and so we discovered the boiling water trick.
By pouring a small amount of boiling over the skin of the meat, it immediately becomes taught and shrinks in size. Following the water, the chicken gets dabbed completely dry, seasoned, and immediately transferred to the skillet for the oven. You want to avoid allowing the skin to come into contact with the olive oil, minimizing moisture that will keep it wet for longer. Instead, the oven will begin to crisp the skin quickly, almost as if to sear it over the duration of the cook-time. Finish the meat with a baste and broil, and you should have beautiful golden-brown chicken thighs!
Crispy Chicken Thighs with Lemons Olives and Prunes
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Thighs, bone-in skin-on
- 1 Large Lemon, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (rind in tact)
- 3/4 Cups Kalamata Olives, halved
- 3/4 Cups Prunes, halved
- 4-6 Garlic Cloves, peeled
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt + Pepper
- Water, for boiling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F, and boil 2-3 cups of water in a kettle on the stovetop.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the lemons, prunes, kalamata olives, garlic, olive oil, and some fresh cracked salt and pepper. Transfer the contents of the bowl to the bottom of an oven-safe skillet or casserole dish, and spread it evenly across the bottom.
- Place all the chicken thighs, skin-side up, on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This will allow the boiling water to drain immediately, keeping the bottom of the chicken from cooking during this process. At this point, you can trim off some of the excess skin that trails under the thighs, if necessary. Make sure all the skin is exposed before pouring just enough boiling water over each thigh, until the skin tightens up and shrinks in size. Dab the thighs until completely dry, season with salt and pepper, and transfer them to the skillet, skin-side up. Try not to allow the olive oil to make contact with the skin, in order to allow for maximum crisp!
- Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165º. Once the chicken is cooked, baste the tops of each piece with a little bit of lemony oil from the bottom of the skillet, and finish by broiling until golden.
- Serve with wild rice or a classic risotto, and enjoy!
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