Chicken Thighs and Creole Jasmine Rice
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This recipe redefines the taste and texture of chicken thighs rendering this oily cut into crispy perfection.
Recipe by:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Creole Jasmine Rice
  • 2 cups white Louisiana jasmine rice, such as Supreme
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes with green chiles, such as Ro-Tel
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken Thighs
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters with thighs
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup diced green onion tops
Instructions
Creole Jasmine Rice
  1. In a large pot with a lid over high heat, add the rice, onion, Cajun seasoning, chicken stock, and water. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook undisturbed until the rice is done, about 20 minutes.
  2. Turn off the heat, lift the lid, and stir in the chopped fresh tomatoes and the canned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Cover and keep warm until serving.
Chicken Thighs
  1. Using a sharp paring knife, slice around the leg bone about an inch from the end and peel back the skin and meat. Cut away any tendons. Pull the skin down to the end of the leg bone, and using kitchen shears or a heavy knife, slice off the tip end of the bone. Push up on the rest of the leg meat and expose the bone. Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  3. Add the chicken to a cold (not preheated) cast-iron skillet, skin-side down. Weigh down the meat to make maximum surface contact by placing a pan (that is a bit smaller than the diameter of the skillet) on top of the chicken. Add weight to the pan (canned vegetables stacked up works well) and push down.
  4. Turn the heat to medium and let the chicken cook undisturbed for 20 minutes. You will hear sizzling and see oil leaching from the skin, but do not be tempted to check the chicken.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a metal spatula with a sharp edge, scrape up the chicken pieces along with the crust and fond underneath. Flip them over and inspect that the skin is browned and crispy.
  6. Add the chicken stock to the skillet and place in the oven to roast uncovered until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165ºF, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a platter to rest.
  7. For serving, add the rice to the cast-iron skillet and lay the chicken on top. Place in the oven long enough to warm through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with diced green onion tops.
Notes
With no added oil, this is a healthy way to cook chicken thighs, and the herbal flavors are fresh and bright. I tried this technique with chicken breasts, with lackluster results; the lack of added fat resulted in dry meat.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://acadianatable.com/?p=16114