Recipe from Nancy Silverton
Adapted by Julia Moskin
- Total Time
- 1 hour plus 2 hours' marinating
- Rating
- 4(1,717)
- Notes
- Read community notes
An easy, superfragrant weeknight version of classic chicken under a brick, this recipe uses chicken thighs instead of a butterflied whole bird. Lavish quantities of lemon, garlic and fresh herbs season the flesh, and the skin gets shatteringly crisp and salty.This recipe makes great use of a cast-iron skillet (or two) and is a great dish to cook when seasoning a new pan because of the large amount of fat that melts into the pan. (You pour it off before serving.) If you have a pan that is large enough to fit all the thighs, you can cook them in one batch. —Julia Moskin
Featured in: Fashioning Cast-Iron Pans for Today’s Cooks
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:6 to 9 servings
- 2lemons, rinsed
- ¼cup fresh thyme or oregano leaves
- 1½tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1½tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 10 to 12medium or large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1teaspoon red chile flakes
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 9bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, rinsed in cold water
- 18fresh sage leaves
- 3 to 4large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced (to yield 18 slices)
- 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2lemons, rinsed
- Fresh thyme or oregano sprigs, for garnish
For the Marinade
For the Chicken
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
561 calories; 42 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 37 grams protein; 620 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
Make the marinade: Use a vegetable peeler to shave 9 large strips of peel from the lemons, taking care to cut into only the brightest yellow outer layer. Put strips in a large bowl or container and add thyme or oregano, sage, parsley, garlic, red chile flakes and olive oil.
Step
2
Prepare the chicken: Pat each piece dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin of each piece from the flesh, taking care to leave the skin attached at one end, to create a deep pocket between the skin and the flesh. Tuck 2 sage leaves and 2 garlic slices under the skin. Put the thigh in the bowl with the marinade and repeat with remaining thighs, sage and garlic. Turn the thighs gently to coat with the marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step
3
When ready to cook, remove thighs from marinade and place them skin side up on a baking sheet. (Reserve garlic cloves and lemon peel from the marinade; discard the liquid.) Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over the chicken, then turn over and sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons salt.
Step
4
Transfer 5 chicken thighs, skin side down, to a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Put it over high heat and weigh down the chicken with the bottom of another cast-iron skillet. (Or, use a lighter skillet weighed down with a large full can, a brick or another heavy object. Make sure the bottom of the skillet is clean, or place a sheet of parchment paper between the chicken and the top skillet.)
Step
5
Once chicken is sizzling loudly, reduce heat to medium and cook without moving for 10 to 12 minutes, until skin is brown and crisp. To check for doneness, gently lift the corner of a chicken thigh with a metal spatula. The skin will come away cleanly from the bottom of the pan when it is done. If it is still stuck, do not pull but let it cook a little longer.
Step
6
When thighs are done, remove the weight and lift the chicken out of the pan, taking care to keep the skin attached to the thighs as you lift them. Transfer the thighs, skin side up, to a clean baking sheet or plate. Cook the remaining 4 chicken thighs in the same way. Pour off most of the fat from the skillet.
Step
7
Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut lemons in half and squeeze gently to remove some of the juice. Cut crosswise into ⅛-inch slices and lay on paper towels to absorb more juice.
Step
8
Place a layer of lemon slices in the skillet. Return all the browned chicken to the skillet on top of the lemons, skin side up. Tuck reserved lemon peel and garlic cloves down between the pieces.
Step
9
Transfer skillet to oven for 20 to 30 minutes. To test, remove a thigh, pierce it on the flesh side with a knife, and check that the juices are clear and there is no redness near the bone. Remove pan from oven and let thighs rest in the pan 5 to 10 minutes. Tuck thyme or oregano sprigs around the thighs and serve from the pan at the table, with roasted lemon slices and garlic cloves.
Ratings
4
out of 5
1,717
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
MrsT
Very good! I made it just as directed. The timing was perfect--after 20 minutes in the oven at 450 degrees, the chicken was just right. The crispy skin was wonderful! This recipe is a keeper, and as others have commented, fancy enough for company. It looks gorgeous, served right from the skillet. Lovely!
Some have worried that 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes is too hot and too long, but it's not. And I appreciate a recipe that I can get to the table fairly quickly.
wolfie
Surely I must be missing something. 10-12 minutes in a skillet and then 20-30 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Cannot image the texture of a meat as delicate as chicken after all this heat.
I am waiting for someone who has actually cooked this to chime in before I try it.
A. Cleary
I'm surprised at the advice to cook lemons or even lemon juice in cast iron. I've read in many cookery books that tomatoes, vinegar, wine, and citrus should not be cooked in cast iron cookware because the acids eat through the seasoning and it imparts a metallic taste to the food. The seasoning part is no big deal. You can always re-season, but it would be a shame to waste all that food when another piece of cookware would be just as good. Or consider using an enameled cast iron pot.
Blinker Auckland, NZ
I agree. Temp sounds quite high. Using my cherished cast iron, I've made a version of this for years using preserved lemon slices and finishing off in a 275°F/140°C oven for 2+ hours. Slow & steady is another cast iron virtue.
Always tender, richer flavour
Indygent
I followed this recipe to the letter. I did put parchment on top which really kept the splatter in the skillet. I loaded two skillets and a Le Creuset on top. Turned out amazing. It was very tender and delicious. Would be great for a dinner party as you could make ahead. Although it seemed like a lot of steps it was so worth it. My guest agreed as well. It is a definite keeper. Thanks NYT.
Karen
I short cut by adding lemon juice and fresh rosemary to the all day marinade and not doing the tucking spices under the skin. Also put a layer of fresh garden onions and potatoes between the (luscious)lemon slices and the lusciously browned chicken for the baking step. OMG everybody fell over.
Pictoria
I looked at those instructions and thought no, crisp chicken in skillet on medium high. Turn them over, do the other stuff and bake at 350 for the 20-30 minutes. These are bone in thighs and they won't be dry with the cooking time. It's the high temperatures that I don't like. I've got chicken down.
richard
why rinse chicken? I thought this was a no-no.
Cathy
You really have to use your cooking judgment when following a recipe. I needed to increase the quantities, so the thighs were tucked tightly into a large pan and maybe that's why they were not overdone. I did cut back the salt. The flavor was fabulous. I used my very old, well-used 13 3/8" cast iron skillet - that's what it says on the bottom - and there was no metallic taste. The stove-top cooking step did make a colossal mess of my stove, however.
Rebecca
I followed the recipe except for the garlic (husband allergic to it) and I didn't have fresh sage but I did have fresh basil. Set the oven temp to 425 and it came out perfectly and looks just like the picture. Hubby and I agree that this is fit for company!
Heidi
It is delicious and the timing is correct. Definitely use parchment paper, it cuts down on washing up !
nlee
I had 4 large chicken thighs in a 12-inch skillet. I'd planned to roast a pound of carrot batons on the side (see Roasted Carrots With Turmeric and Cumin) but was afraid the empty pan spaces would make a burned-on mess so instead I tossed the carrots in the leftover marinade and put them in the skillet around the chicken at step 8. 20 minutes at 450 and both carrots and chicken were perfectly done, moist and delicious! Another time doing the same with fingerling potatoes also worked great.
Paco
Can white meat be used instead of thighs? More precisely, how would the preparation change if I were to use chicken breasts?
Victoria
We made it in a stainless steel pot, no problem. We also followed the recipe except to cut the salt. It was delicious, the chicken was done beautifully and was not at all dry. I will do it again.
Victoria
I thought you weren't supposed to use lemon/acidic food with cast iron pans. Is this safe?
R
This is really tasty, but it makes a huuuuge mess. This version is just as good but without the cleanup. https://theeatingemporium.com/crispy-weeknight-chicken-thighs/
REGIESTERED DIETITIAN
NEVER rinse chicken. Unless you are a super sanitizer your sink will be a wonderful hangout for bacteria. Wipe the chicken dry with disposable paper towels.
MC
Could an air fryer work? Thoughts?
Ramona
Delicious!
Randal J
I have been preparing chicken parts like this for years, minus the fresh herbs. They do make a significantly noticeable difference as opposed to dried herbs! Prodigious amounts of garlic lemon wraps this offering in a tangy goodness that can’t be beat; the leftovers (if any) are to die for!
Artur
Great technique. The temperatures worked perfectly for me, and the chicken was tender with crispy skin, but not burnt at all.I only had 5 chicken thighs. When the time came to put the pan in the oven, I tossed some potatoes in the rendered chicken fat and added them to the pan around the chicken. I rested the chicken in a separate plate and crisped up the potatoes for a bit longer.
Melissa Nagy
This chicken was a huge hit! Cut it down to 4 thighs and added fresh thyme and sage from the garden. Also added some thinly sliced shallots to the pan with the lemons before popping it in the oven. Served with some rice and roasted broccolini to soak up the sauce. Will make this again as it was easy and super tasty.
JoAnnC
I'm confused by the 2 lemons in the marinade. We only use those 2 for the rind, and then 2 new ones for the cooking? Or, are we supposed to add the juice of those 2 first lemons to the marinade? Because I had no left over liquid from the marinade, either. Delicious regardless.
mel
Who is out here washing chicken. Haven’t we learned not to do that?
Carol Pan
Loved it! Marinade was great, next time might add some rosemary as well, also might use some of the salt under the skin with the sage and garlic to really flavor the meat, not just the skin. Using the parchment, kept the splatter to a minimum and the 10 minutes was perfect for the medium/large thighs. Used some of the chicken fat rendered from the first batch of thighs to toss with onions, carrotts and potatoes and roasted in separate pan to accompany the chicken. 20 minutes @ 450 was perfect.
Bill M.
The humble totle masks the ingenious techniques and flavors. For example a minimum of lemon is used yet the flavor of it in the chicken is very strong and beautifully mixed.
Bill M.
Family is begging me to file this in a safe place and make it again.
SusieT
This was delicious! I checked my chicken after 20 minutes in the oven and it was waaaaay past 165 - but it was still moist and delicious inside with such nice crisp skin!
Kathleen
Had boneless skinless thighs in the freezer because husband bought them at Costco. Made the marinade and cooked them in cast iron on stovetop and then used oven to finish. Despite no skin to crisp it was delicious. Will do again with bone in, skin on thighs. Great flavor.
Anastasia
Did not flatten or cook on range. Put straight into oven at 425 for 30 min.
Private notes are only visible to you.
