Crispy chicken and greens
The secret of this week’s recipe is simplicity: Danny’s crispy chicken involves just two spices – salt and pepper – and five ingredients found in every kitchen and the result is simply superb. The chicken thighs start their delicious journey in a combination of butter and oil and end in the oven where the meat is roasted to perfection.
Danny prepared the chicken thighs in skillets that are oven safe to 450 degrees for expediency but transferring them to a baking pan will produce equally delicious results. Start out by salting and peppering the chicken on both sides and melt a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil into the pan.
“The secret is to render the fat slowly,” he said. “So you put them in there on the skin side upside down in the skillet on medium heat and put lots of salt on the skin, which makes it nice and crispy tasting. You have to cook i t like that for 8 to 10 minutes. If you cook it too fast, you’re not going to get all the fat out.”
Keep the chicken on the skin side – don’t flip it. The goal is to reduce the fat under the skin to keep it from becoming rubbery, he said.
After it has crisped up on the stove, slip the pan directly into the oven for 15 minutes. “Let it continue cooking,” Danny said. “You think it’s going to burn and occasionally it does.”
With five minutes left on the timer, he turns the chicken thighs over and puts them back in the oven to let them finish cooking.
To make the garlic spinach, combine fresh spinach, olive oil and chopped garlic in a pan on medium-high heat. Danny likes to sautee the garlic pieces until they are golden brown, then stirs in the spinach – stems and all – until it wilts. The spinach and garlic make a savory bed for the chicken breasts and an easy midweek meal. All ingredients can be found at Stewart’s Food Store.
Suggested ingredients:
Crispy Chicken:
Kosher salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste
1 pkg of chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Garlic spinach:
1 bunch fresh spinach
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Crispy Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Salt and pepper chicken thighs on both sides
Step 2: Heat oil and butter on medium heat in an oven-safe skillet. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Step 3: Place chicken thighs skin side down in skillet. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Do not turn.
Step 4: Place skillet in oven for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Flip chicken skin side up. Return to oven for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Serve over bed of garlic spinach Garlic Spinach:
Step 1: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Sautee garlic pieces until light brown
Step 3: Stir in spinach, coating with olive oil, until leaves and stems are soft.
Step 4: Add salt and pepper to taste.