Poultry Essentials Crispy Chicken Thighs Recipes

POULTRY ESSENTIALS: CREAMY MUSHROOM CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• For this recipe, you will need an ovenproof skillet that is big enough to hold all the chicken.
• When I was working on this recipe, I tried several variations, so I only cooked 2 chicken thighs at a time (as the photos indicate). However, the ingredient list is proportioned to accommodate 4 thighs.
• On my third attempt at this recipe, I felt the sauce was missing something, so, I decided to add some sautéed shiitake mushrooms to the sauce, and that made all the difference.
• If you want to make the sauce a bit more decadent, you could use cream, in place of the milk; however, I found that whole milk did the job quite nicely.
• If your chicken thighs have large flaps of skin hanging down, then cut them off. They will only sit in the sauce and become soggy. YUK!
• Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 300f (150c).
• Add the butter and grapeseed oil to a skillet over medium heat.
• Pat the chicken thighs with a paper towel, season with a bit of salt and pepper, and add to the pan, skin-side-down, and cook until the skin is crispy, about 4 - 6 minutes.
• Chef's Tip: If you have a small pan, you might need to sear the chicken thighs in two batches. If you crowd the pan, the chicken will steam, not sear, and you will be left with steamed, pale, tasteless chicken. I HATE it when that happens. When you properly sear the chicken, you will have crispy, flavorful chicken.
• Flip the chicken, and cook for an additional 4 - 6 minutes.
• Remove the chicken, reserve, and then remove all but 2 tablespoons of the grease, then add the mushrooms to the pan; along with the white wine.
• Chef's Note: If you do not wish to use wine, then use 3 tablespoons of chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of freshly-squeezed lemon juice.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften, and release their moisture, and the wine or stock is cooked down, about 5 - 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic, and stir until fragrant, 60 seconds.
• Add the sun-dried tomatoes, and the sun-dried tomato oil, and stir for 2 minutes.
• Combine the remaining ingredients (except the chicken), to the skillet
• Stir to combine the ingredients, while slowly bringing up to a simmer, about 2 - 3 minutes.
• Chef's Note: While the sauce is coming up to the simmer, taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up.
• Place, uncovered, in the pre-heated oven, and bake for 25 minutes.
• Raise the heat to 375f (190c), and bake an additional 10 minutes.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Serve with pasta, rice, mash potatoes, veggies... whatever you choose, and do not forget that yummy sauce. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

POULTRY ESSENTIALS: CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• If you are doing the optional brine, then add all the ingredients to the water, and whisk until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Add the chicken thighs, and place in the fridge for 3 - 4 hours. I like how the tamari flavors the chicken; however, if you are not too sure about it, just leave it out.
• The reason I do not include any salt in the spice mix, is because I am brining the thighs. If you choose not to brine, then add about a teaspoon of salt, or to taste.
• Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• Combine all of the spice mixture ingredients into a small bowl, and reserve.
• Take the chicken (after the brine), and pat dry. Then place on a plate or small sheet pan, and sprinkle with the potato starch.
• Chef's Note: The purpose of the potato starch is to help dry out the skin. It will not impart any flavor of its own. You could use salt, or baking soda, but both of those methods make the chicken taste a bit too salty for my palate.
• I like to remove the bone from the thighs before baking. The only reason for this is the final presentation; plus, without the bone, it makes it easier for my guests to slice. If you leave the bone in, no worries.
• Stick them in the fridge, uncovered, for 2 - 3 hours.
• Remove from the fridge, place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, fitted with a wire rack (if you have one). They should be skin-side up.
• Lightly brush the skins with the olive oil.
• Sprinkle with the reserved spice mixture, then let sit on the counter for 20 minutes.
• Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 425f (220c).
• Add the chicken thighs to the oven, and bake for 15 minutes.
• Lower the heat to 400f (205c), and cook until the internal temperature of the thighs reaches 165f (75c), about an additional 15 minutes.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• One of my favorite ways to serve these is on a plate of homemade pasta, and a nice spicy tomato sauce. But, how you serve them, is totally up to you.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH PEPPERS, CAPERS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Start the chicken: Pat chicken dry and place in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Add garlic, rosemary, red-pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss the thighs to coat, using hands to smear the mixture evenly over the chicken. Let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, or, if time permits, overnight in the refrigerator.
• Make the peppers: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. When oil begins to look wavy, add onions and stir to coat. When the onions begin to soften (don't let them brown), add peppers and stir to combine. Season well with salt and pepper, and add garlic and red-pepper flakes. Stir to incorporate and reduce heat to medium. Cover, leaving the lid ajar.
• Cook mixture for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until completely soft. Add olives, vinegar and capers, and cook for a few minutes more, just to meld the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with oregano. Set aside. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cook the chicken: Place a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is wavy, add chicken thighs, skin-side down. Shake the pan to make sure the chicken isn't sticking.
• Lower the heat to medium. Place a piece of parchment or aluminum foil on top of chicken and set another skillet on top. Add some weight - a brick or canned goods, for example - to the top skillet. Set heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, checking occasionally to be sure chicken isn't sticking, until the skin side is beautifully browned.
• Turn thighs over and cook for 10 minutes more, until thighs are cooked through. (To test, pierce the chicken with a paring knife. The juices should run clear.) If you wish, turn the thighs skin-side down again and let crisp for a few more minutes.
• Serve 1 thigh and a large spoonful of stewed peppers to each guest. Leftover peppers, if any remain, will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

CRISPY AND TENDER BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Arrange chicken thighs on prepared baking sheet.
• Combine garlic salt, onion salt, oregano, thyme, paprika, and pepper together in a small container with a lid. Close the lid and shake container until spices are thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle spice mixture liberally over chicken thighs.
• Bake chicken in the preheated oven until skin is crispy, thighs are no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Set a wire rack inside a broiler pan or baking pan.
• Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Lift up skin gently; sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder under the skin. Replace skin. Season skin and underside of the thighs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Arrange on the rack.
• Roast in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Continue roasting until juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.