Thighs Wide Shut
Pan-seared chicken thighs atop golden saffron rice pilaf
55 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalianGluten-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
Tonight we're gallivanting through the Italian Riviera, well, your kitchen, with a crispy chicken thigh and a saffron rice that's more Milan than Marrakech. You'll master both a perfect pan sear and the art of coaxing maximum flavor from a humble grain.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Pat chicken thighs very dry with paper towels. Season all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Let sit at room temp while you prep vegetables.
- 02In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. When shimmering, nestle chicken thighs in, skin-side down. Cook undisturbed until deep golden and skin releases easily, 7-9 minutes. Flip and cook 4 minutes more. Transfer to plate, leaving fat in pan.
- 03Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan if needed. Stir in onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened and just starting to color, about 5 minutes.
- 04Add garlic and rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until rice turns slightly translucent and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
- 05Pour in dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- 06Meanwhile, steep saffron in 3 cups hot chicken broth for 2 minutes.
- 07Pour the saffron-infused broth into the skillet. Stir to evenly distribute rice and vegetables.
- 08Nestle the chicken thighs, skin-side up, into the rice. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 24 minutes.
- 09Remove skillet from heat. Scatter lemon zest and dot butter over the rice. Cover again and let rest 5 minutes.
- 10Uncover and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. Serve each thigh atop a mound of golden rice pilaf, spooning up any extra juices from the pan.
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