TUESDAY

Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs  |  Couscous with Fresh Cilantro & Lemon Juice  |  Oven-Roasted Grapes

This recipe for Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs must be my family’s favorite chicken recipe.  Served hot, right from the pan, the meat is juicy and tender with that wonderfully salty, crispy golden skin.  Yet, the left-over, chilled chicken pieces are equally delicious…worthy of the finest picnic {or some lucky children’s school lunch}.  I always cook double the amount of chicken called for in the recipe because it is what we all want for lunch tomorrow…promise.

The components of this dinner really need to be cooked in unison.  None of the dishes require a lot of time…dinner just comes together in about 45 minutes.  Start with the  Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs , the recipe is so simple…just three ingredients:  chicken thighs, kosher salt & pepper, and olive oil…

Perfect Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs {adapted from Bon Appétit, June 2011}

• 12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
2. Season chicken, skin side up with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil over high heat in a large, heavy skillet or roasting pan.  Place chicken thighs, skin side down & in a single layer, in the pan and cook 3-4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-high & continue cooking, skin side down {occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
4. Transfer skillet to oven and cook 15 more minutes.  Flip chicken & continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.  Transfer to a plate & let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

When the chicken thighs go into the oven, prepare the couscous…

Couscous with Fresh Cilantro & Lemon Juice {adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2010}

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons finely-zested lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ cups plain couscous
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add minced garlic & turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the water, lemon peel, and a pinch of salt…bring to a boil.
3. Remove pan from heat & stir in couscous.  Cover and let stand until liquid is absorbed…5 minutes.
4. Fluff with a fork and then mix in cilantro and lemon juice.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Now, the grapes…

This is really, so simple!  We all caramelize foods with high sugar contents {for example, onions, apples & figs} so why not grapes?  Using a mixture of red & green grapes adds much-needed color to the plate {after all, we are working with chicken & couscous so far!}  The roasted grapes are so tender & sweet…which balances the tartness of the lemon couscous and the salty chicken.

Oven-Roasted Grapes

• 1 bunch green, seedless grapes {cut into small clusters}
• 1 bunch red, seedless grapes {cut into small clusters}
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
2. Wash & pat dry the grape clusters.
3. Spread grape clusters out, in a single layer, in a baking dish or on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Roast grapes for approximately 10 minutes or until they just begin to collapse.  Serve immediately.