Sage-Roasted Chicken Thighs
It never fails. When I make this dish for my family, my wife always says that this is what she wants me to make for our friends whenever we entertain. She says this every time. Not kidding. I can’t blame her. It’s delicious. It’s simple. Major bang for the buck. That what Deal With This is all about. This is a no fuss major payoff dish. I could eat this and Rice oh-toe several times a week. It’s darn near perfect.
Do yourself a favor and get the best chicken thighs you can find. Don’t worry. Grocery store stuff will still be amazing. But if you can find air-chilled or grade A thighs from a good butcher, then you will be rewarded. Yes, chicken actually has a flavor.
Don’t dare use boneless skinless thighs. If you can’t tolerate the extra flavor that the bone and the skin provide, I can’t help you. You’re barkin up the wrong blog.
The fresh sage leaves are a must. The salty piney earthiness is a dead match for the crispy chicken skin.
Sage-Roasted Chicken Thighs
4 chicken thighs, trimmed of extra flappy skin. Yes. Skin on and bone in (do I really have to remind you?)
4-6 sage leaves rolled up and sliced thin (chiffonade). Save extra for garnish.
Olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper
Other spices (follow your bliss – I use cayenne, garlic salt and sometimes a little vindaloo seasoning to go with. Experiment.)
1 cup of good crisp dry white wine – want to impress me? Use the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that I gave you at that last thing you had at that place, and serve the rest with dinner.
2 T unsalted butter
1 squeeze of juice from a lemon
Preheat the oven to 450º. Lightly coat the chicken thighs with olive oil. run fingers under skin and pull back from the thigh. Season thoroughly with salt, pepper and spices. Spread some of the sage underneath skin.
I also threw some Serrano ham in 2 of the thighs. It also rocked.
Replace and season the skin side.
Place skin side up in pan and roast for 25-35 minutes. When skin is brown and crispy, take pan out of oven and pierce the largest thigh through the center of the meat to see if juices are clear. If juices are even slightly red continue to cook and check in 5 minute intervals.
For the pan sauce you see in the picture below, remove thighs and pour out most of the pan juices leaving approx. 1 tablespoon. Set pan on stovetop over medium heat. splash around 1 cup of good crisp dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits. When the juice is reduced to about half, whisk in the butter, add lemon juice to taste and add salt and pepper.
What’s your biggest bang for the buck dish? Share it, folks!
Rob, this looks great!I like your photos
and if the looks are half as great as the taste this is an awsome food site you created.