Easy Chicken Thighs

Oh Cooks Illustrated how I love thee...

This month's issue had a simple, small article called "easy chicken thighs". This little gem could have been completely unacknowledged- I'm so glad I decided to try it. The recipe is all about technique, there are 4 ingredients total- chicken, salt, pepper and cooking spray... that's it! I've made this twice now and it's honestly my favorite chicken dish. The chicken turns out like fried chicken, moist, salty and crispy- but WAY less greasy. You can dress it up with a sauce or compound butter if you want but I like it better plain. Serve with a green salad and a nice wine- a tasty cheese and a baguette to make it amazing or as my friend Kerry would say- super tasty.

Easy Chicken Thighs
8 (6-8oz each) bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
1 1/4 tsp salt
pepper
vegetable oil spray

1. Adjust oven racks to lowest and middle position. Place rimmed baking sheet on lowest rack. Preheat oven (and baking sheet) to 450 degrees
2. While oven is preheating, trim excess skin off chicken and poke the skin 10-12 times with a metal or wooden skewer. Season both sides of thighs with salt and pepper and spray both sides with cooking spray.
3. Place thighs on baking sheet, skin side down, back on bottom rack. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until meat registers 160 degrees.
4. Pull chicken out and flip so skin side is up. Preheat broiler to high. Place baking sheet back in the oven on middle rack and broil until skin is golden brown - 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and place a piece of foil over chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Serve.


Seriously, try this recipe out- it is soooo flipp'n good! Definitely going into the dinner rotation.