Crispy Chicken Thighs with Leeks and Potatoes

This is a satisfying family favorite you will keep on rotation and the family will love it, while you also enjoy its low cost and ease of preparation. Like many of my recipes, after making this once you won't need to refer to the recipe ever again. It's nearly a meal in itself, but you can pair it with green beans or a nice salad. 

Julian's Crispy Chicken Thighs

The completed dish in my Staub braiser. 

Air-Chilled: The trick to the crispiest chicken is making sure you purchase air-chilled, bone-in, skin-on thighs. These are usually easy enough to find, but you do need to pay attention to the packaging. Air-chilled chicken is cooled individually by purified cold air, while traditional (water-chilled) chicken is submerged in large communal ice-water baths. In fact most store bought chicken is not air-chilled. This wet chicken will not be ideal as the soggy skin will never get truly crispy. Pay a little more if you must, but get the air-chilled. The package will clearly say 'air-chilled' if it is processed in that manner. Unmarked chicken means it was water-chilled. 

Start in a cold skillet or braiser.

Thigh Size: An ideal, normal-sized raw bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh weighs about 4 to 6 ounces. Huge, oversized grocery store raw thighs often weigh 7 to 9 ounces or more, which can cook unevenly and feel too heavy for a standard portion. So select the 4-6 ounce size per thigh. Today my package only has 5 thighs and one of them is smaller than the rest so it will serve only 4 people. 

The prepared vegetables are added
after the thighs are browned and crisp.

Equipment: This is a one-dish meal so you will need a skillet or braiser (shown) that is both cooktop and oven safe. You can use a non-stick finish, cast-iron, stainless steel, or an enameled cast iron braiser, as I am today. If yours has a long handle, make sure it will fit into your oven and take great care when moving it as the handle will easily burn you if it comes in contact with your skin once it's been in the oven. 

Ingredients (for 4-6 Adults)
6-8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on, air-chilled

     4-6 ounces each

salt

1 pound baby potatoes (any or mixed variety)

2 large leeks

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or other mix of favorite spices and herbs)

1/3 cup white white or chicken stock

Instructions

Do Ahead:  Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel on both sides until completely dry. Sprinkle lightly with salt on both sides and place on a plate on a paper towel, skin side up and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 3 hours. Remove and pat dry on both sides again. Flip each over so the skin is down, and using a small paring knife, cut along both sides of the bone without cutting through the skin to help the thigh lay more flat. Turn back to skin side up and dry all of the skin once again.

Cooktop: Place a large skillet or braiser on the cooktop that will hold all the thighs. Add the chicken, skin side down. Turn the heat to medium-high. You are starting the chicken in a cold skillet to help it render all of the fat. Sprinkle the underside of the chicken which is now facing up (the non-skin side) with Italian seasoning (and salt if not included). You will know the chicken is done when it releases from the pan with just a little pressure or use of a metal spatula. If it doesn't release easily, it's not ready. It will take the chicken approximately 20-30 minutes to be brown and crisp and to release from the pan. As the chicken begins to cook, prepare the potatoes and leeks.

Veg Prep:  Wash the potatoes and cut the bottom white/light green portion of the leeks from the tops. Reserve the leek tops for another use, or discard. Cut each white leek in half and run under water to remove any dirt between the layers. Slice the leek into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Cut each potato in half and place in the bowl with the leeks. Sprinkle the olive oil over the leek/potato mixture and stir to coat. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and if the seasoning does not have salt, add salt as well. 

Oven: With the oven rack in the upper third position, preheat it to 350F degrees. If it has a convection fan setting, turn it on. When the chicken has rendered its fat and the skin is crispy remove it from the skillet to a plate skin side up. If there are some brown bits stuck the skillet/braiser, add the wine/chicken stock and scrape loose the browned bits. Cook the liquid down until it's syrupy and turn off the heat. Add the potato leek mixture to the skillet and top with the chicken thighs, skin side up. Place the assembled dish into the oven and let it cook for 45-60 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant read thermometer. The chicken thighs should be approximately 180F degrees and the potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and serve.