Alison Roman Crispy Chicken Thighs Recipes

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BACON AND WILTED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Place chicken thighs, skin side down, in skillet and cook, pouring off excess fat from time to time, until skin is browned and crisp, 10-12 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook until cooked through, 8-10 minutes longer. Transfer thighs to a cutting board or large plate.
• Pour off fat from skillet (no need to wipe it out) and increase heat to medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes and toss to coat. Add escarole in large handfuls, letting it wilt slightly before adding more. After the last handful goes in, remove pan from heat and toss greens to coat (some will be tender, some a little crunchier).
• Divide escarole among plates and top with chicken. Squeeze lemon over and top with more red pepper flakes.

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high, and add chicken, skin-side down. Cook, without flipping, until the skin is deeply golden and much of the fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. (You may need to pour off some of the fat.)
• Using tongs, flip the chicken skin-side up. Let the undersides cook for another 5 or so minutes. Set chicken aside. Add artichoke hearts and onions to the pan, letting them sizzle until they get a little color, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add wine and thyme, shaking skillet to make sure the wine is evenly distributed and scraping up any golden-brown bits. Add chicken back to the pan, over the artichoke hearts and onions. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven until chicken has finished cooking and sauce is reduced by about half, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove chicken from oven and scatter with herbs. Finish with more pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sumac, if you have it.

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH WHITE BEANS AND CARAMELIZED LEMON

Steps:

• Toss lemon slices and shallots together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper; set aside. (This will lightly pickle the shallot and soften the lemon while you cook the chicken.)
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add chicken, skin-side down. Using kitchen tongs or a spatula, press the chicken evenly into the skillet so it makes good contact with the hot surface (which will promote browning). Cook, resisting the urge to check too frequently, until the skin is deeply golden brown (think of the color of a well-baked croissant), 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. At this stage, most of the fat should be rendered and the skin should be crispy. Flip and continue to cook until pieces are cooked through, another 7 to 10 minutes.
• Using kitchen tongs, transfer chicken to a plate to rest, leaving all the fat behind. Add lemon and shallot to the chicken fat, standing back if you need because it will sizzle. Cook, swirling the skillet, until the lemon has started to caramelize and brown, 3 to 5 minutes. (It'll smell like a mix of lemonade and caramel.)
• Add the beans to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the beans have started to brown a bit and soak up all of that caramelized lemon chicken fat, 3 to 4 minutes. Working in batches, add kale and toss to wilt, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.
• Return the chicken to the skillet, along with any juices that have collected on the plate, and cook for a minute or two, just so everything gets to know each other in there.
• Divide the chicken, beans and kale between plates, making sure to top each serving with a few lemon slices. Sprinkle with flaky salt and a final few turns of pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

GARLICKY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SCALLION AND LIME

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large, high-sided skillet over medium heat.
• Add chicken, skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, until chicken is crisped and the fat has begun to render, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip chicken skin-side up. Cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, thinly slice two scallions; set aside.
• Add both halves of the head of garlic, cut side down, and remaining whole scallions to the pot and season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat in the chicken fat. Cook until scallions are lightly blistered and browned, about 3 minutes. Add grated garlic and stir a minute or two, but do not brown.
• Add lime juice, soy sauce and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and partly cover. Cook until chicken is completely tender and nearly falling apart on the underside and liquid is reduced by three-quarters, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the halved head of garlic.
• Scatter sliced scallion over chicken and using a Microplane or zester, zest lime over. Cut lime into quarters and serve alongside.