Part 1: Perfect Pan Roasted Chicken

Sometimes chicken bums me out.  When not prepared well, chicken can be dry, bland, and generally disappointing.  I, myself, am guilty of such poor poultry preparations mostly because I have an unreasonable fear of undercooked chicken (salmonella is no joke).  However, several months ago, Bon Appetit published a recipe entitled "Perfect Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs" that pretty much changed my life. I was cautiously optimistic about this recipe, which touted juicy chicken and crispy bacon-like skin.  However, not entirely trusting their technique, I decided to add some flavor-fall-backs like lemon, garlic, and rosemary.  Holy juicy-flavorful-crispy-chicken-skin-goodness!  To say that this recipe exceeded my expectations is an understatement.  Between this recipe and Dinner: A Love Story's recipe for "Grilled Chicken for People who Hate Grilled Chicken", I may never see chicken the same way again.

What follows is my take on Bon Appetit's pan roasted chicken.  I like to toss in some par-boiled potatoes too, they get nice and crispy in that super-hot oven.  Also, it's worth making a little extra so you have leftovers - the chicken and potatoes make a mighty tasty frittata (will post that later this weekend)!
 
Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Potatoes 
(Serves 2 with plenty of leftovers) 

3/4 pound small potatoes, halved, or quartered if large (I used some tiny Yukon gold, red, and purple potatoes I found at the farmer's market)
2 teaspoons kosher salt + more for the potatoes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon leaves
1 clove garlic, smashed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon (hold on to the squeezed halves)
2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
3-4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Cover the potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan and salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes; drain and set aside.

Pile the rosemary leaves, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and the red pepper flakes on a cutting board, then mince and mash into a paste using a large knife (the salt will help everything break down). 

 

The flavor-fall-backs

Transfer the paste to a large bowl. Stir in the juice of 1/2 a lemon and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat, making sure some of the garlic and herbs get under the chicken skin. 

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-12" cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Arrange the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, and cook 2 minutes.  (Don't toss the leftover marinade!)  Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking skin side down, occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes.  While the chicken is getting nice and crispy, throw the drained potatoes into the bowl you used for the chicken and toss the potatoes with the remaining marinade.  (This is only ok because those raw-chicken-slimed potatoes are going to spend some time in a 475 degree oven.  No salmonella on my watch!)

Add potatoes to the skillet, nestling them in around the chicken.  Drizzle with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lemon, then add the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet; transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for about 13 more minutes.  Next, flip the chicken over so the skin is facing up.  Continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Enough to make you take back everything you've ever said about chicken

Enjoy with a green salad and perhaps a rose.  I'm not going to pretend I know anything about wine pairings, but I can tell you this meal was delicious with this: 

Located in your trusty neighborhood Whole Foods (or at least at the one in the South Loop)