Lemon Chicken

Today's post is dedicated to what is possibly the quickest, easiest weekday dinner I've ever whipped up (in about 35 minutes, tops). I love pan-fried chicken thighs (which, in my humble opinion, are the absolute best part of the bird), and this super simple way of cooking them makes it tempting to make these every single day. All there is to it is a quick seasoning, and about 15 minutes skin side down in a hot cast-iron pan to get the skin nice and golden and crisp. Then you flip 'em and do the same on the other side, mixing in bits of preserved lemon rind with the juice and fat in the pan, and then you serve them up to your hungry (and undoubtedly grateful) guests with big, tart wedges of fresh lemon so they can douse them in lemon juice as much or as little as they wish. It's a good way to make a friend for life. I like to eat mine with fragrant basmati rice, but if you're watching your starches, these would be great on their own with a simple green salad too. xo

Lemon Chicken Thighs
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
Rind from 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped,
2 lemons

Directions:
Put olive oil into a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet skin side down. Cook them like this, without moving them, until the fat has rendered out and the skin is deep golden brown and crisp, 15-20 minutes. If the skin is burning or darkening too quickly, you can adjust the heat to medium-low so the chicken browns slowly and evenly.

Turn the thighs over and stir the chopped preserved lemon rind into the fat in the skillet. Continue cooking the thighs until the meat closest to the bone is cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Serve the thighs and lemony pan drippings with fat lemon wedges.