Does back-to-school time have you humming a few bars of the weeknight dinner blues?
I get it. I know you’re tired. I know that when 5 p.m. rolls around you aren’t always feeling inspired. I know that the notion of chicken again makes you roll your eyes. How can we get excited about chicken over and over?
Just make this recipe and then see if you don’t have a little spring in your weeknight step. The bracing herbal flavor of fresh rosemary (do try and get fresh for this, as it makes a big difference)! The citrusy sharpness of the lemon zest! The tartness of the lemon juice! These simple flavors turn everyday chicken thighs into something special. Also, the quick dredge in flour and saute in a bit of oil creates a dish something between fried chicken and roasted chicken — crisp and moist.
And the choice of bone-in, skin-on thighs means you will have a great juicy chicken dinner. In fact, it’s one that is pretty hard to overcook. You can serve these right in the pan at the table (as long as everyone knows the pan is hot).
These would be great with some rice or any kind of grain to soak up some of the pan sauce you’ll have once the chicken is cooked. Round out the plate with a simple green vegetable, like sauteed Broccolini or Swiss chard, or some roasted asparagus.
ROSEMARY AND LEMON ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS
Start to finish: 45 minutes (20 minutes active)
Servings: 4
3 lemons
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional)
Nutrition information per serving: 660 calories; 420 calories from fat (64 percent of total calories); 47 g fat (12 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 235 mg cholesterol; 440 mg sodium; 16 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 42 g protein.
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