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Chicken Thighs (seared and oven-roasted)
with Green Olives and Shallots
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer-friendly version of this recipe
Chicken thighs are moist and rich in flavor; also, they are much more
forgiving than chicken breasts in cooking time. A few minutes of
overcooking can make breasts dry and flavorless, while the dark thighs
leave more room for error.
Although more caloric than chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and with the
skins removed, chicken thighs are still healthy and flavorful. In previous
columns I have described how restaurant chefs start a dish by sautéing
fish or meat and then finish the dish in a hot oven. Chicken thighs lend
themselves well to this technique and remain tender under high heat.
Cooked this way, they also lend themselves to many sauces. With wine,
garlic, tomatoes and herbs, they have a Provencal flavor, and Balsamic
vinegar lends an earthy sweet taste. Preparing chicken or another meat
this way lets you use your favorite sauce to give your meal a personal
touch.
This recipe came from a night when we had chicken thighs in the
refrigerator and wanted a quick dinner with a Mediterranean taste. I
remembered a chicken dish in southern France which had a wine sauce
and green olives. We had some large imported green olives so it was
easy to come up with a similar version.
Four servings:
8 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and skin removed
8 shallots, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup green olives, coarsely chopped
½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons dried marjoram (optional)
Preheat oven to 500 degrees or to the highest oven temperature.
Lightly salt and pepper thighs.
Heat a sauté pan over high heat, film the bottom with olive oil olive oil,
and, when the oil is nearly smoking, add chicken thighs and shallots.
Cook for 4-5 minutes until chicken is well browned.
Add olives, wine, and marjoram. Place sauté pan into the oven and cook
for 20-25 minutes, checking thighs at 20 minutes. Remove thighs when
done and reduce sauce over a high burner until slightly thickened. Taste
sauce for salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over the thighs and divided roasted shallots and olives
among them. Serve with rice, potato or pasta, along with a green
vegetable and a salad. Crusty bread and a fruity red wine such as a Pinot
Noir will add a final Mediterranean touch.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
with Green Olives and Shallots
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer-friendly version of this recipe
Chicken thighs are moist and rich in flavor; also, they are much more
forgiving than chicken breasts in cooking time. A few minutes of
overcooking can make breasts dry and flavorless, while the dark thighs
leave more room for error.
Although more caloric than chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and with the
skins removed, chicken thighs are still healthy and flavorful. In previous
columns I have described how restaurant chefs start a dish by sautéing
fish or meat and then finish the dish in a hot oven. Chicken thighs lend
themselves well to this technique and remain tender under high heat.
Cooked this way, they also lend themselves to many sauces. With wine,
garlic, tomatoes and herbs, they have a Provencal flavor, and Balsamic
vinegar lends an earthy sweet taste. Preparing chicken or another meat
this way lets you use your favorite sauce to give your meal a personal
touch.
This recipe came from a night when we had chicken thighs in the
refrigerator and wanted a quick dinner with a Mediterranean taste. I
remembered a chicken dish in southern France which had a wine sauce
and green olives. We had some large imported green olives so it was
easy to come up with a similar version.
Four servings:
8 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and skin removed
8 shallots, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup green olives, coarsely chopped
½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons dried marjoram (optional)
Preheat oven to 500 degrees or to the highest oven temperature.
Lightly salt and pepper thighs.
Heat a sauté pan over high heat, film the bottom with olive oil olive oil,
and, when the oil is nearly smoking, add chicken thighs and shallots.
Cook for 4-5 minutes until chicken is well browned.
Add olives, wine, and marjoram. Place sauté pan into the oven and cook
for 20-25 minutes, checking thighs at 20 minutes. Remove thighs when
done and reduce sauce over a high burner until slightly thickened. Taste
sauce for salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over the thighs and divided roasted shallots and olives
among them. Serve with rice, potato or pasta, along with a green
vegetable and a salad. Crusty bread and a fruity red wine such as a Pinot
Noir will add a final Mediterranean touch.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
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