Cast iron chicken thighs

Chicken second courses

You really can’t beat chicken thighs when it comes to having the best of both worlds. You have the crispy skin along with the tender moist dark meat that makes it truly satisfying. This is a dish that I make at the start of the week to get my taste buds going, it’s incredibly tasty, and I even enjoy it cold out of the refrigerator. The succulent thighs pair nicely with some of my favorite ingredients: Gaeta olives happen to be my favorite type of olive, they’re salty and briny with good bitterness and you get a strong olive flavor that comes through. They’re great for salads, antipasti, and I refuse to make spaghetti Puttanesca without having these on hand. The cherry tomatoes are added for acidity to cut through some of the richness, and the rosemary perfumes the whole dish to another level. Once you bring garlic to the party, you can’t go wrong with these flavors. They were just meant to be together. I like to serve this over a bed of Mediterranean Couscous, the juices find their way down the plate, and you get these amazing bites of moist steamy couscous. To make simple baked chicken thighs, I start by deboning a package of chicken thighs. It involves some work on your part, but if you’re patient you will realize how easy, cheap, and therapeutic it is to do your own butchering at home. Save the bones for stock if you prefer, then once the thighs are boned, I like to pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. I prefer to use a Lodge Cast Iron skillet to cook the thighs. It’s heavy and it maintains the heat very well in order to ensure a nice crispy skin.