Jacques Pepin Chicken Thigh Food

JACQUES PEPIN'S CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175F.
• Cut extra skin and fat off each thigh. Cut a 1/2 " slit into meat on either side of the bone, so that chicken will cook faster and evenly.
• Season thighs with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
• Place chicken into non-stick skillet, skin side down, on high heat.
• When chicken starts to sizzle, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 16-18 minutes. If browning too quickly after 10 minutes, reduce heat to low.
• Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a heat proof platter and place in oven to keep warm. Pepin recommends keeping your serving plates in the oven so that they will be warm when you plate the chicken.
• Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the skillet. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and white wine. If any liquid has accumulated on the platter in the oven, add that liquid to the pan.
• Cook over high heat for 1 minute, to reduce the liquid a bit.
• Divide the mushroom mixture between 4 plates. Place one piece of chicken on top and garnish with chives to serve.

FRENCH CHICKEN THIGHS IN CILANTRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil on large nonstick frying pan.
• Add thighs in one layer and saute them over medium to high heat for 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
• Remove the chicken to a platter.
• Add the onions to the drippings in the skillet.
• Saute for 1 minute.
• Stir in the garlic, wine, and cilantro stems and saute for 10 seconds longer.
• Return chicken to frying pan, add salt and pepper, and bring surrounding liquid to a boil.
• Cover the pan, reduce heat, and bring to a slow boil for 15 minutes.
• Stir in cilantro leaves.
• Serve 2 chicken thighs per person.

TARRAGON CHICKEN A LA PEPIN

Steps:

• Boil potatoes for 30 minutes (they do not have to be cooked through, they will finished in the oven); set aside to cool, then when cool enough to handle, peel and slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over high heat, brown chicken in oil and butter on both sides well; season liberally with salt and pepper and set aside (these also will not be cooked through, but finished in the oven).
• Lower heat to medium-low and toss the garlic cloves into skillet and let cook, stirring occasionally so as not to burn, for 1 to 2 minutes; stir in wine to deglaze pan, stirring all the browned bits from the chicken that stuck to the bottom of the pan, and let reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken broth and tarragon; turn off heat and let stand while you assemble the dish.
• Preheat oven to 350°F; butter a 2-quart covered baking dish or casserole.
• Layer half the onions in a single layer in the bottom of your casserole; top with half the potatoes.
• Lay browned chicken on top of the potatoes, then a second layer with the rest of the onions, topped with the remainder of the potatoes.
• Pour broth over everything, cover and place in oven until chicken is cooked through to 165°F on an instant read meat thermometer, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on how cool you let all the ingredients get before assembly.
• NOTE: This step is optional, but you can run the dish under the broiler to brown the potatoes a bit (makes for a more attractive dish). Also a drizzle of heavy cream and/or a squirt of fresh lemon juice may be a welcome addition.

QUICK-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD AND GARLIC, JACQUES STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse chicken beneath cold running water and blot dry. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the backbone and remove it. (Save backbone with the giblets for making stock.) Jacques suggests cutting partway through both sides of the joint between the thighs and the drumsticks and also cutting the joint between the wings and the breast.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Turn the chicken breast side down and slather it with half of the mixture. Place chicken in a large oven-safe skillet, skin side up and slather with the remaining mixture.
• Set the skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until it starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and, according to Jacques, continue roasting another 30 minutes. Roast until brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, which took my bird 50 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
• This can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

JACQUES PEPIN'S BASIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the salt and pepper and fold the wings akimbo to position them closer to the body. Place the chicken on its side in an oven-safe skillet, preferably cast-iron.
• Place the chicken in the skillet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook another 20 minutes. (By cooking the chicken on its sides, the juices stay in the breast and, since only the back is exposed, the chicken does not need constant basting.) Finally, turn the chicken onto its back, baste it with the cooking juices and continue to cook 10 minutes. It should be golden in color.
• When the chicken is cooked, cut it into pieces and serve, with the drippings on the side.