Skillet Chicken With Escarole And Pecorino Recipes

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add skin-side down to the skillet. Cook until the skin browns, about 10 minutes. Flip the chicken, transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim the escarole, tear into pieces and rinse well. Thinly slice the garlic.
• Remove the chicken to a plate. Discard all but 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet; return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add half of the escarole and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 1 minute. Add the remaining escarole and cook, tossing, until wilted, 1 minute; season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the capers, butter and lemon juice. Cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is melted. Discard the thyme sprigs.
• Divide the chicken thighs and escarole mixture among plates. Sprinkle with parsley.

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BACON AND WILTED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Place chicken thighs, skin side down, in skillet and cook, pouring off excess fat from time to time, until skin is browned and crisp, 10-12 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook until cooked through, 8-10 minutes longer. Transfer thighs to a cutting board or large plate.
• Pour off fat from skillet (no need to wipe it out) and increase heat to medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes and toss to coat. Add escarole in large handfuls, letting it wilt slightly before adding more. After the last handful goes in, remove pan from heat and toss greens to coat (some will be tender, some a little crunchier).
• Divide escarole among plates and top with chicken. Squeeze lemon over and top with more red pepper flakes.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ESCAROLE AND SICILIAN OLIVES

Steps:

• Trim chicken thighs of excess fat, and dry well on paper towels. Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Place chicken in skillet, skin-side down, and sear until skin is well-browned, about 5 minutes. Turn thighs with tongs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sear until second side is golden, about 3 minutes more.
• Pour off fat. Reduce heat to low, add olive oil, and half of the sliced garlic, shallots and the herbs, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add wine and chicken broth, cover, and simmer 7 minutes. Turn chicken, and simmer until meat pulls easily from bone, about 7 minutes more.
• Transfer chicken from skillet to plate. Add remaining garlic, shallots and herbs, olives, escarole and lemon juice to skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, increase heat to medium-high, and cover. Steam escarole until it wilts, about 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet on top of escarole. Add butter, increase heat to high, and simmer until butter melts and sauce has emulsified slightly. (If sauce appears thin, transfer escarole and chicken to warm platter, then boil sauce until it has reached a pleasing consistency.) Taste to correct seasoning. Serve immediately.

PAN-ROASTED HALF BONELESS CHICKEN WITH SAUTéED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Place two cast-iron or heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillets over high heat; cast iron will yield a crispier skin. Season the chickens generously with salt and pepper; you should see the seasoning on the meat. Coat each pan with 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Once the oil is shimmering, lay the chicken halves in the pans, skin side down. It's super important to make sure the chicken lies flat and all of the skin is in contact with the pan. Cook until the skin starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not move the chicken or the skin will tear. Transfer the pans to the oven and roast until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the escarole lengthwise through the core and then crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Put the escarole in a large bowl of water. Swish the water around; sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the escarole out with your hands and put it on a kitchen towel to dry; you should have about 5 quarts of escarole. It might seem like a lot, but trust me, it cooks down dramatically.
• Put a large pot or skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add several handfuls of the escarole, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the escarole starts to wilt. When there is more room in the pan, add the rest of the escarole. Cook until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the chicken to a warm platter, skin side up. To make a quick pan sauce, pour out the excess fat from the pan drippings. Place the pans over two burners set on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons wine to each pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each, stirring to melt, and sprinkle with parsley.
• To serve, divide the escarole among 4 plates and lay half a roasted chicken on top, skin side up. Drizzle the pan sauce on top.