easy crispy chicken thighs with oranges and alliums
a simple and versatile one pan dinner
there are so many reason to love a chicken thigh, and this easy as you can get recipe is just one of them because you get all the things you want (crispy skin, juicy meat, flavorful sauce, virtually no dishes) with very little effort.
to make it, you just need to slice up your preferred mix of alliums (see: whatever you want and might already have on hand) and oranges and toss into your roasting pan or skillet. add some garlic and ginger and coat with toasted sesame and olive oil. top with chicken thighs you already salted and patted very, very dry and oil those babies up, too. roast at a high heat to render the chicken fat out into the alliums and oranges and really crisp up the skin.
serve simply with steamed white or brown rice (my personal favorite), blanched veggies, or slice up some baguette for scooping and sopping up the sauce. it would also pair well with a simple salad or roast potatoes.
if you want to switch the recipe up, season the chicken with some ground five spice in addition to the salt. you could also take the whole thing into a slightly different direction by omitting the ginger, toasted sesame oil and soy sauce and instead add a thinly sliced fennel bulb and some fennel seeds to the roasting pan; finish with a splash of white wine or apple cider vinegar before serving.
to scale this recipe up and serve 4, use the same amount of orange and alliums and double the chicken thighs (2 per person). use a large rimmed baking sheet if the thighs seem too snug in your roasting pan, there needs to be some room for them to "breathe” as they roast.
serves 2; this recipe was inspired and adapted from clare de boer’s melting lemon chicken
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic
mixed alliums (the recipe calls for 1 shallot, 1 onion, 1 leek and 2 scallions, but you could use any mix you like, or simply stick to onions or leeks; aim for an amount that generously covers the bottom of the roasting pan in an even layer)
a thumb sized piece of ginger
1 large orange (substitute: 1/2 an orange and 1 lemon or 2 lemons)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar, plus more to taste (substitute: rice wine or apple cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
minced chives, steamed rice and chili crisp for serving
preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F and move a rack to the middle of the oven. season your chicken liberally with salt on both sides. set aside at room temperature while you prep everything else; be super extra and do this step about an hour before you move on, that will ensure really crispy and well seasoned chicken.
peel garlic, shallot and onion. thinly slice shallot, onion, garlic, leek and scallions and add to a large roasting pan or cast iron skillet; allow for a bit of room around each thigh so the saucy stuff can release some steam and the skin can get crisp. mince ginger and add to the pan, too. slice the ends off the orange, then cut in half through the ends. slice very thinly into half moons, then sort through and remove any seeds before adding to the pan. drizzle with half the olive and all the toasted sesame oil and toss everything with your hands to coat.
set the seasoned chicken thighs over the oranges and alliums, skin side up; i love clare’s tip here: “the pan juices that are so important will wet the underside of the thighs, so remove pockets of fat and detach any skin under the thighs. pull skin outward so each thigh looks like its arms are outstretched, surfing on the tasty things underneath. maximum surface to crisp, no grizzly bits below.” press paper towels onto each chicken thigh to remove any (and i mean any!) moisture from the surface, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil, using your fingers to make sure the oil coats the skin of each thigh evenly.
bake in the preheated oven until the chicken thighs are cooked through, the skin is very golden brown and crispy and the alliums and oranges are soft and “melted,” about 45 minutes. if the chicken is cooked but the skin isn’t very brown, turn on your broiler and let broil until the skin bubbles up to your desired color and crispness.
remove from the oven and stir the vinegar and soy sauce through the orange-allium mixture; you can always taste and add a bit more vinegar and soy to your preference. let sit for about 5 minutes before serving as desired; my preference is with steamed rice, a smattering of minced chives and a spoonful of chili crisp.