You know those weekdays when it just seems daunting to THINK about cooking a meal much less actually doing it? Yep, I thought so…..
We cook a whole chicken almost weekly but it takes a while and some nights we aren’t home until late but I still find myself craving that roasted chicken….it’s such a great comfort food and is super delicious with ANY veggie that is in season. Change up the herbs, grill it, roast it, BBQ it…..the possibilities are endless.
So my solution on those late weeknights and cravings….lemon chicken with leek-pea sauce. Chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken because of the flavor and ANY time of year they sound delicious. They cook relatively quickly, stay moist, and if I just have time for a salad to accompany, that works out but if I can, I like to roast some baby potatoes along side……the cool thing about chicken is you can pair almost anything for a side that sounds yummy so get those creative juices flowing!
Now for the sauce, I mean seriously, it is SO good! I use it on my fresh pasta and almost any of my pork recipes and WHENEVER I serve it at a dinner party, my guests think I am just amazing, thats how good it is….
There really isn’t any trick to this recipe EXCEPT make sure and crisp up those chicken thighs, it makes ALL the difference and I personally use a cast iron skillet because I love how hot it gets and how beautifully it sears the chicken. If you don’t have one, any pan will do but just remember it will splatter so, be careful!
My hope is this recipe works for you on those weekdays when you feel daunted or even when you don’t, I promise, it’s delish!
- For the Chicken Thighs:
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 rounds
- For the Leek-Pea Sauce:
- 3 large leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch piece
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- One 10-ounce package frozen baby peas, thawed
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- For the Chicken Thighs:
- Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Tuck a few leaves of parsley and a sliver of butter under the chicken skin.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the fat has rendered and the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer, skin side up, to a plate.
- Pour off the excess fat from the pan. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the pan and scatter the lemon slices on top. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 170°F (77°C), 25-30 minutes.
- Scatter an additional 2-3 tablespoons of fresh herbs on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with leek-pea sauce underneath or on the side.
- For Leek-Pea Sauce:
- In the other skillet, heat olive oil and cook the leeks over high heat until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- While chicken is resting, add the peas, parsley and crème fraîche and simmer until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
