A Chicken in Every Pot

Although this idiom is credited to Herbert Hoover during his campaign for the presidency, it still holds true today. As long as you’ve got a chicken to prepare for dinner, you’ll never go hungry. The question is how to prepare that chicken. After all, your family does not want to eat the same thing every night. So we’ve come up with some tasty options; try one today.

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas

1 tablespoon canola oil

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Heat oil in a large oven-proof frying pan over medium-high heat.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Cook, in batches, skin side down until skin is browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, set aside.

Add onion and garlic to fat remaining in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in paprika and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and chickpeas, and bring to a simmer. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Nestle chicken into mixture, skin side up.

Roast in oven until the chicken is golden and crisp, about 25 minutes. Serve with white or brown rice, drizzled with pan juices.

Chicken Legs with Couscous and Carrots

4 boneless chicken bottoms with skin

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons canola oil

12 ounces small carrots

1 (5.8-oz.) box of olive oil and herb couscous (I like Near East brand)

1/3 cup fresh parsley, checked and chopped

1/3 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 450°F. Season chicken with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, skin side down, in canola oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until skin is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Add carrots and season with kosher salt and black pepper; toss to coat. Top with chicken, skin side up. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions.

Toss together chopped parsley and pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Stir into prepared couscous.

Divide couscous among 4 plates. Top with chicken and carrots. Drizzle with pan sauce and serve.

Dijon Chicken

8 medium chicken drumsticks

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon canola oil

3/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 sliced lemon

2 chopped garlic cloves

Season drumsticks with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss with 1/4 cup flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

Whisk together chicken stock, white wine, Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon flour, and thyme. Pour over chicken, scraping up the bottom of the frying pan, loosening all the browned bits. Cook, partially covered, turning occasionally until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Bourbon Chicken

Marinade:

1/2 cup Bourbon

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

4 cloves garlic crushed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp fresh ginger minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut in half

2 tablespoon olive oil

Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl, toss them around, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium to high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add half the marinade to the chicken and continue cooking until the marinade turns into a thicker sauce and the chicken is fully cooked, 10-15 minutes.

Cook the remaining marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat, for about 5 to 10 minutes until it reduces about half and thickens a bit.

Serve the chicken over rice, drizzling with sauce.