Jazz up those usual chicken thighs with this tasty recipe!
ingredients
POMEGRANATE GLAZE:
1 and 3/4 cups pomegranate juice (divided)
1/3 cup organic chicken stock
8 sprigs thyme (tied together with Butcher’s twine)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
CHICKEN THIGHS:
8 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on)
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
ARUGULA SALAD:
1 5- ounce package baby arugula
1/2 red onion (peeled, thinly shaved)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (shaved into strips)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
directions
For the Pomegranate Glaze: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of pomegranate juice and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons of liquid, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 3/4 cups of pomegranate juice and chicken stock. Add the bundle of thyme and reduce to a simmer, allowing to reduce by half, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme bundle. Remove the reduced mixture from the heat, allow to cool slightly and whisk in the mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove half of the glaze to a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.
For the Chicken Thighs: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the chicken thighs from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking and allow to come to room temperature.
In a small bowl, stir together salt, cumin, pepper and cayenne. Sprinkle seasoning all over chicken thighs.
In a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Place the chicken thighs, skin-side down in the pan and cook until skin is crispy and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Flip the chicken thighs and brush tops of thighs with the glaze in the saucepan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast until juices run clear and internal temperature registers 165ºF, about 30-40 minutes. Brush thighs once with the remaining glaze in the saucepan while roasting. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a platter with the arugula salad and drizzle the pomegranate glaze in the bow on top of chicken. Top with pomegranate seeds and parsley.
For the Arugula Salad: In a large bowl, toss together the arugula and red onion and set aside.
In a small bowl, add lemon juice and whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing around the bowl with the salad and toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Using a vegetable peeler, shave desired amount of strips of Parmigiano Reggiano on top of the salad and serve.
Tip: Try this glaze with your favorite cut of pork, like pork chops or pork loin!
