Cue a warm, feel good recipe solution to our weather weary souls and stomachs. This is undeniably one the top contenders in the Go-To-Comfort-Meal chapter of my ever growing personal Roast Chicken Compendium. Many varieties of my “favourite” roast chicken emerge out of the oven on a rotation, but these chicken thighs are close to my heart, ticking all the nostalgia boxes of family meals around the table with the flavour of classic Mediterranean home cooking.
Simple enough for every season with its full vinegar-y tang, the salty umami of soy sauce and the sweetness of shallots, it takes only minutes to assemble and with no real need to marinade it’s the ideal emergency dinner solution.
Notes:
If I have an extra head of garlic on hand I like to slice it through the middle (crossways) and add it cut side down to the pan nuzzled between the thighs for a little caramelised garlic flavour.
A good squeeze of lemon doesn’t go amiss if you want to up the acid before serving.
It works just as well with chicken thighs as with a spatchcocked chicken, and is delicious the next day shredded into salad.
Rost Chicken with Sherry Vinegar and Shallots
- 8 chicken thighs
- 4 banana shallots thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar (or if you are using red wine vinegar increase the amount to 3 tbsp)
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp chili flakes or Aleppo pepper
- a pinch of salt and a few good grinds of pepper
- chopped parsley for garnish
Remove the chicken from the fridge an hour before you want to put it in the oven and pat dry.
Assemble all the chicken pieces and shallots in a roasting tin and season with all the rest of the ingredients. Stir everything together until the chicken is completely coated in the mixture and shallots.
Preheat your oven to 200C (400F)
When the oven is hot and the chicken is fully at room temperature, place roasting tin in the centre of the oven.
Baste after 20 minutes, moving everything around to make sure the shallots do not burn.
Roast for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken pieces are completely cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven and scatter with some chopped parsley for colour if you have any to hand.
Have you made this dish?
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