VelvetLemon Chicken Thighs
Inspired by techniques from Bon Appétit.
Chicken thighs marinated in vinegar, browned skin side down in a dry skillet and finished in the oven with garlic. Deeply charred lemons make a sharp dressing with honey, Aleppo-style pepper and olive oil to spoon beneath the crisp chicken.
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Method
- 1
Marinate the chicken. Pat the thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with ¾ tsp of the salt and ¼ tsp of the black pepper. Put in the food bag, pour in the vinegar and seal. Gently massage the bag to coat every thigh, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- 2
Dry the skin. Heat the oven to 205 °C (185 °C fan). Lift the chicken from the bag, discard the marinade and blot the thighs thoroughly with fresh paper towels, especially the skin.
- 3
Brown the thighs. Arrange the thighs skin side down in the dry skillet before setting it over medium heat. Leave them alone until the skin releases easily, about 4 min. Continue cooking for 8-10 min, moving the pieces around occasionally so the skin browns evenly, until golden.
- 4
Finish in the oven. Add the garlic and transfer the skillet to the oven, leaving the chicken skin side down. Bake for 10-12 min, until the flesh is opaque and the thickest part of each thigh reaches at least 74 °C without the probe touching bone. Use oven gloves to handle the skillet and transfer the chicken and garlic to a clean plate.
- 5
Char the lemons. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Set the lemon halves cut side down and cook for about 5 min, until the cut edges are deeply charred and almost black. Move them to the plate with the chicken and garlic and leave until cool enough to squeeze; the chicken rests while you make the dressing.
- 6
Whisk the dressing. Squeeze the charred lemons into the small bowl, keeping out the seeds. Add the garlic and mash it with a fork, then whisk in the honey and Aleppo-style pepper. Whisk in the olive oil and all the juices collected on the chicken plate. Season with the remaining ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, taste and adjust if needed.
- 7
Serve. Spoon half the dressing over a platter and arrange the thighs on top, skin side up. Serve with the remaining dressing alongside.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover chicken and dressing in separate covered containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken until it reaches 74 °C throughout and whisk the dressing again before serving. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why it's healthy
26.5 g protein for 370 kcal = 7.2 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 29% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the EU condition. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 2.7 g per serving
5.4 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 10.8 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- paper towels
- large resealable food bag
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- 30 cm ovenproof cast-iron skillet
- oven
- oven gloves
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- plate
- small bowl
- fork
- whisk
- serving spoon
- serving platter
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 370 kcal |
| Protein | 26.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 5 g |
| of which sugars | 2.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 2.7 g |
| Fat | 26.8 g |
| of which saturates | 6 g |
| Fibre | 0.3 g |
| Salt | 1.38 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
7.2 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
