It is a truth universally acknowledged that chicken thighs are always better than chicken breasts. They don’t dry out like breasts can, and dark meat has more flavor. This dish celebrates the thigh in all its glory – in less than 30 minutes.
Since this column limits me to just a few ingredients, I get creative to get the most out of each. Fried sage leaves are a perfect example. They provide a fun garnish and crunch to the finished dish, and they also infuse the cooking oil with wonderful herbaceous flavor. Instead of deglazing the pan with wine or chicken stock, I added acid and a hint of sweetness with apple cider vinegar to complement the butternut squash.
Chicken Thighs with Butternut Squash and Sage 4 to 6 servings
3 Tbsp. olive oil
10 whole fresh sage leaves, divided
6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup apple cider vinegar
• Add the olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add 6 sage leaves and fry until crisp, about 1 minute. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
• Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place skin-side down in the pan. Cook 8 minutes, then flip and cook another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Add the butternut squash and stir to coat, cooking about 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium if the squash browns too quickly.
• Chop the remaining 4 sage leaves and add to the skillet, along with the shallots. Saute 1 minute, then deglaze the pan with the apple cider vinegar, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
• Push the squash to the side and return the thighs skin-side up and any collected juices to the pan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165 degrees. Plate and garnish with 1 fried sage leaf on each thigh. Serve immediately.
This article appears in January 2015.