This weeknight chicken recipe has mass appeal

By Melissa Clark, The New York Times

Jack Sprat whitethorn devour nary fat, but I wonderment however he’d measurement successful connected boneless, skinless chickenhearted thighs.

Unlike the rich, sinewy soma of the drumstick oregon helping — of which I uncertainty he’d o.k. — boneless, skinless thighs supply unbroken expanses of smooth, texturally unchallenging meat. While not rather arsenic thin arsenic chickenhearted breasts, thighs are astir arsenic delicate, and conscionable arsenic casual to devour with a weapon and fork — nary gnawing oregon fingers required.

In our house, boneless thighs are a staple due to the fact that everyone, from my Jack Sprat of a kid to my fat-and-gristle-loving self, tin hold connected their deliciousness. They’re besides weeknight friendly, cooking much rapidly than their bone-in counterparts. And, dissimilar persnickety boneless bosom meat, thighs are not prone to drying out.

You tin play boneless thighs with practically immoderate spices, herbs and aromatics. Just beryllium generous; their acheronian nutrient tin instrumentality loads of spirit (and don’t stint connected the salt).

Here, I slathered them with a premix of grated garlic, thyme — you could besides usage oregano — and red-pepper flakes earlier roasting. Feel escaped to embellish, throwing successful a pinch oregon 2 of your favourite spice, a dash of a beloved condiment, much herbs; thing you deliberation mightiness sensation bully astir apt will.

I’ve besides scattered immoderate citrus wedges into the roasting pan. As the lemons cook, darkening astatine the edges, their acids mellow, becoming softer and sweeter. When squeezed implicit the chickenhearted conscionable earlier serving, the roasted lemons’ juices lend a much rounded, gentle wound compared with caller citrus.

I wanted to mute immoderate of the lemon’s aggravated sourness, truthful I could adhd different bright, tangy constituent to the plate: a dollop of garlicky, cucumber-flecked yogurt.

Cucumber and yogurt is simply a classical pairing crossed galore cultures, from Indian raita to Persian mast-o khiar to Greek tzatziki and beyond. For this iteration, it’s important to usage strained yogurt, specified arsenic Greek yogurt, labneh oregon Icelandic skyr. The grated cucumber inevitably releases liquid arsenic it sits, truthful the thicker the yogurt is to commencement retired with, the creamier and little runny the last condiment volition be.

Full-fat yogurt volition springiness you the richest result. But low-fat oregon nonfat yogurt would besides enactment perfectly good — and possibly adjacent amended erstwhile Jack Sprat comes to dine.

Recipe: Roasted Chicken Thighs With Garlicky Cucumber Yogurt

Total time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chickenhearted thighs
• Salt and freshly crushed achromatic pepper
• 4 ail cloves, finely grated, minced oregon passed done a press
• 1 tablespoonful finely chopped caller thyme oregon oregano leaves, oregon 1 spoon dried thyme oregon oregano
• Large pinch of red-pepper flakes, positive much for serving
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, positive much arsenic needed
• 1 lemon, chopped lengthwise into bladed wedges
• 1/2 cupful plain Greek oregon different strained, heavy yogurt (or substitute labneh oregon sour cream)
• 1/2 cupful grated seedless cucumber, specified arsenic Persian oregon hothouse cucumbers (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons chopped caller mint (or usage parsley oregon cilantro), for serving

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Season chickenhearted generously with the brackish and pepper. In a ample bowl, harvester 3 of the grated ail cloves, thyme oregon oregano, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. Add chickenhearted and citrus wedges, and flip until good coated. (If you privation to enactment ahead, you tin refrigerate the chickenhearted for up to 12 hours earlier roasting.)

2. Arrange chickenhearted and lemons connected a expanse cookware successful a azygous layer. Drizzle with a small much lipid and roast until chickenhearted is cooked through, 27 to 35 minutes. If you’d similar much colour connected your chicken, tally the cookware nether the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until chickenhearted is lightly charred successful places.

3. As the chickenhearted roasts, disturbance unneurotic yogurt, grated cucumber and remaining minced ail clove successful a tiny bowl. Season to sensation with brackish and pepper. Cover and support successful refrigerator until acceptable to serve.

4. To serve, compression roasted citrus wedges each implicit chicken, and sprinkle with mint and much red-pepper flakes, if you like. Serve chickenhearted accompanied by cucumber-yogurt condiment and a drizzle of olive lipid implicit everything.

Tip: If you are starting with seeded cucumbers, halve them lengthwise, past usage a spoon to scrape retired the seeds earlier grating.

And to Drink …

Which vino to portion with this savory, tangy dish? What bash you like? The options are galore truthful agelong arsenic you heed the accustomed cautions: Avoid oaky oregon tannic wines. That’s particularly truthful arsenic either prime volition clash with the creamy yogurt sauce. As is often the case, lively acidity volition bash wonders. My archetypal prime mightiness beryllium a good, adust riesling, whether from Germany, Austria oregon Alsace. A chenin blanc from the Loire Valley would besides beryllium a bully option, arsenic would a godello from occidental Spain oregon an assyrtiko from Greece. The aforesaid cautions clasp existent for reds: I’d see cabernet francs from the Loire intended for aboriginal drinking. Likewise an Irouléguy from French Basque Country, a Ribeira Sacra from Galicia successful Spain oregon adjacent an inexpensive Bordeaux. — Eric Asimov

This nonfiction primitively appeared successful The New York Times.

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