Crispy Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Remember when Dorothy threw a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch of the West? And the witch screamed in agony: "I'm melting! Melting! Oh, what a world!" 

As I walked to the train station yesterday afternoon, I could almost hear my city's dirty snow screaming the exact same thing. Boston is not free of snow yet, but we sure have a lot less of it.

The thaw seemed like my cue to start celebrating spring in the kitchen by making a dish with bright green veggies. For the protein I went with crispy chicken thighs, because truly crispy chicken skin is the best thing ever. Ben only likes skin-on chicken when it's as crunchy as possible and not moist at all, so I practiced and practiced and now have my routine for chicken-crisping down pat.

Here's how you do it: sear the chicken skin side down in a very hot skillet for a little longer than it seems like you should, and then flip it over and finish it in a 450 degree oven. While the chicken roasts, you'll have just enough time to fry some bacon and chop your veggies. Then, while the chicken rests, the vegetables cook in the fat from the chicken infused with a bit of lemon.

Both Ben and I loved this dish. The vegetables are so light, though, that I recommend serving another, more substantial side to round out the meal. We ate this with mashed potatoes, but mashed rutabaga or mashed cauliflower would also be excellent.

If your snow is screaming, too, I recommend you celebrate with a dinner like this. Happy almost spring--we deserve it after the winter we've had. 

Crispy Chicken with Spring Vegetables
Yield: 3-4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ghee or extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch slender asparagus, trimmed and sliced into segments about 1 1/2 inches long
1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
Zest of one lemon, in thin strips
1 cup frozen or fresh shelled peas
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with sea salt.

Heat a very large ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels, getting them as dry as possible. When the pan is hot, add the oil and ghee, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken to the pan, skin side down, and season the meaty side with pepper. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is a deep golden brown. Turn off the heat, turn the chicken over, and season the skin side with pepper. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (it should register 165°F on a meat thermometer).

While the chicken is cooking, fry the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.

When the chicken is done, transfer it to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Pour off all but about a tablespoon of fat from the skillet, leaving as many browned bits in the pan as possible. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add the shallot and lemon zest. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan, for about two minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the asparagus, and cover the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the asparagus is crisp-tender. Add the peas, stir, and then cover and cook for about 2 more minutes, until the peas are heated through. Stir in the lemon juice and bacon.

Transfer the vegetables and pan juices to a platter and put the chicken on top. Sprinkle with chives and serve hot, with lemon wedges if desired.

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