First of all, thank you all so much for the touching messages and support for me on Sunday. It was very heart-warming and I appreciate every single one of you.
But to move onto something happier and not at all related to Thanksgiving, I have a recipe! But speaking of Turkey Day, be sure to keep an eye out for my Foodbuzz 24×24 Thanksgiving post — my meal is being featured and sponsored by Foodbuzz!!
I have never successfully made chicken that was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy, and flavorful. It is usually cooked through, but dry. Or still tender, but flavorless and not cooked enough (yuck).
But I’ve been researching methods, practicing, and roasting a whole lot of chicken lately so that today I would be able to bring you what is, in my opinion, perfect roasted chicken. With just a bit of butter (okay, more than a bit) and some fresh flavors, you too can achieve chicken nirvana.
First we start by skinning some bone-in chicken thighs. Thighs are my favorite part of the chicken, I think dark meat is much more flavorful, especially when kept on the bone! You’ll want these as close to room temperature as you can get for easier skinning and best cooking results.
Melt some butter along with lemon juice, parsley, and a dash of season salt (way underrated, in my opinion). Once this is melted to perfection, you are going to dunk your chicken thighs in the butter on both sides and place in a roasting dish. You will have some extra of the butter mixture — keep it handy!
Roast these babies on 350* for 35-40 minutes until the internal temperature is 165* — when using a meat thermometer, stick it into the thickest part of the thigh NOT hitting bone. 15 minutes into cooking, pull the chicken out quickly and brush on any extra butter you might have left, then put them right back in the oven. Butter basting – the key to juicy chicken!
When fresh out of the oven, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice on top and serve immediately!
I saved one thigh for myself and packed up the rest to take to my professor who is very, very ill. The whole department has a Meal Train going for him, how amazing?!
The chicken was tender, juicy, flavorful, AND fully cooked.
Lemon & Butter Roasted Chicken Thighs (makes 5-6 pieces)
5-6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
1/2 stick butter
3 T lemon juice
2 T fresh, chopped parsley
2 tsp season salt
pepper
Using bone-in thighs that are close to room temperature, remove the skin and sprinkle lightly with some pepper and set aside. In a skillet, stir together butter, lemon juice, parsley, and season salt until butter is melted and just starting to bubble. Remove from heat. Dip your chicken pieces in the butter mixture, being sure to coat both sides, and place into a roasting pan. Reserve the remaining butter mixture. Place in an oven heated to 350* for 15 minutes. Remove roasting pan quickly and, using a pastry brush, brush the chicken pieces again with any remaining butter. Return to oven to cook for another 20-25 minutes (35-40 in total) or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh and not touching bone reads 165*. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon on top, sprinkle on some some fresh parsley, and serve immediately! (Leftovers make amazing chicken salad!)
