A Family that Eats Together: Chicken Thighs that are Worth Eating with Israeli Couscous and Green Chard

Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Nicole is also the creator of the new Little Froglet line of children's activewear.

Nicole's meal plan for this week features panini with turkey, bacon, caramelized onions, aged cheddar, and red pepper-garlic mayonnaise; carne asade tacos with salsa borracha; fast and easy chicken chow mein; paella made simple and fast; and these baked chicken thighs with accompanying side dishes.

From www.alunchboxblog.com (Matthew Cibellis is my brother and makes some of the most amazing meals I have ever tasted!): baked chicken and Mediterranean or Israeli couscous spiced with dates, apricots, and pine nuts with a chiffonade of quick-fried green chard.

Most of us think of chicken thighs as something you’re supposed to get skinless and boneless. This misapprehension is not only wrongheaded but unless it’s in that sugar-laden “Bourbon Chicken” treat at the Panda Express, well, it’s not usually worth eating. We are victims of our own weight-obsessed world, I’m afraid. You can eat these birds without fear—and here’s how.

For the chicken (serves four)

• 4–6 chicken thighs, skin on, bone-in only
• Zest of one lemon
• 2T lemon juice
• 3T fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2T dried oregano
• 2T fresh flat-leaf leaf parsley
• 2 garlic cloves mashed in salt or just two minced cloves
• 2T white/dry vermouth
• 0-6T butter
• 2-4t olive oil
• 2T finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1–2 medium tomatoes (sliced into sections)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly ground salt

First, make sure you have chicken thighs that are bone-in and skin-on. Combine the remaining ingredients (except the lemon juice and vermouth) and mush down into a paste of sorts. Let the butter/margarine get soft enough to spread. You might just roll the mixtures into equal sized balls. Evenly divide under the skins of each thigh. When you are done, you may have bits of herbs and butter or pepper on the board, roll the outsides of the birds in the remaining chopped herbs.

Let 'em sit. You can let 'em sit for days in the fridge or freezer. Let the herbs and fat and flavor seep into the chicken on the counter for about three hours, then either cook, refrigerate, or freeze.

There are two ways to cook this chicken. If you cook these thighs over a wood-smoking charcoal grill, the chicken cooks over the charcoals first to sear about three minutes on each side, then move to the side, away from the coals. Cook for about an hour, watching that no flames catch on the chicken skins.

If you use the oven: slice yellow onion on the bottom of the covered baking dish that can easily accommodate four to six stuffed thighs, Again, slice the onion into long slices or solid, finely sliced rounds. Drizzle with the white vermouth and the lemon juice. Then simply lay the thighs on top of the onions and liquid.

If you have red-ripe tomatoes sitting around around, quarter a couple of them into sections and cook the dish uncovered for forty minutes on 425°. When this comes out of the oven, cover it tightly with your baked dish’s lid. Let sit for as long as you need to finish the vegetables and couscous. You can place this on a trivet in the center of the table, and let it just cook through. There is no need to open it or worry about over cooking. I have let this sit for as long as 30 minutes in a warm kitchen in the past.

You may wish to siphon off the oil produced by the chicken skins and stuffing and reserve in a dipping dish for a nice crusty loaf of bread you might choose to serve with this. Since the oven is hot, just put some excellent sliced bakery bread or baguette in the oven that you have turned off, and let it sit until you’re ready. This chicken fat, vermouth, lemon liquid will be a lovely meat dripping to accentuate the meal with.

For the couscous

• 1.5c Israeli or Mediterranean couscous
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1T parsley for garnish
• 1T toasted sliced
• 2T toasted pine nuts
• 2T finely chopped dates
• 2T finely chopped dried cherries
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1T diced apricots
• 2 cloves of minced garlic mashed with salt, or just minced garlic and salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Cook your couscous according to the box. Usually this is 1c of large Israeli couscous in boiled salted water for 5 minutes. Then drain in a colander under cold water. Make sure nearly all of the heat comes out of the couscous, you will be reheating over a flat skillet soon. It is fine to put these large couscous balls in rapidly boiled water and letting it roll like pasta.

Another way is to just boil a cup of water, and when it comes to a boil, stir in a cup of the couscous. Cover, and then let simmer for five minutes and no more. Turn off. Pour into a sieve, and run cold water over e couscous until it is room temp or colder. Reserve the stir fry the onion in a frying pan. I usually use non stick because the couscous will end up in here soon enough.

Fry the onion with the cinnamon stick on medium high in 2-5 T butter/margarine or some olive oil. When the onions begin to brown slightly, toss in the minced or mashed garlic. Let the garlic begin to give off an odor without going black, then toss in the diced fruits. Turn the heat down to medium, and stir in the cold couscous. Combine completely for a few moments, until the couscous is hot again cover liberally with the pine nuts. When ready to serve, encourage folks to cover with the toast sliced almonds that you’ve put in a condiment dish on the table.

Clear the frying pan, and reserve the entire couscous dish in a serving dish. Cover for about two to five minutes on the dining room table. Place next to the covered dish of chicken. Then make the chard.

Quick-fried Green Chard Chiffonade

• 2-6 leaves of green chard, tough enter stem removed, chopped crosswise on the leaf
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1T olive oil, ghee, or butter
• Freshly ground pepper

Place the chard leaves on high heat, sear them in the non-stick frying pan you cooked the couscous in. Then press some minced garlic into the chard on the pan and add a tiny pinch of salt, stir to combine. Remove from the pan within three to five minutes. You don't want to overcook the finely sliced chard ribbons.

Grind freshly black pepper over the top.