Chicken-and-bulgur wheat Greek salad

"Most of the time, lemon is used in food to flatter the other ingredients and gently lift the dish with just a ‘finishing squeeze’. Not here! Lemon is the superstar of this crispy lemon garlic butter chicken. I love the cheery brightness that the layers of citrus bring to these crispy-skinned chicken thighs swimming in a buttery, garlicky sauce. It’s a simple yet elegant dish – easy enough for a weeknight, yet chic enough for guests!" – Nagi Maehashi
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
2. Smear chicken – Mix all the lemon garlic butter ingredients together in a bowl. Loosen the chicken skin to create pockets. Smear about three-quarters of the butter under the skin, then smear the rest of the butter on the flesh (underside).
3. Prepare for baking – Place the chicken in a 23 x 33 cm roasting pan, skin-side up. Rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Pour the wine around the chicken, then scatter the lemon wedges around too.
4. Bake – Bake for 45–50 minutes or until the skin is golden and crispy.
5. Rest and serve – Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let it rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the lemon juice into the pan juices, then either pour the sauce into a jug for serving, or around the chicken on the platter. Serve!
Cook notes: Drumsticks will work too, though it’s a bit trickier to smear the butter under the skin. You could also use a whole chicken.
LEFTOVERS: Fridge 3 days, freezer 3 months.
Find more chicken thigh recipes here
Extracted with permission from 'Recipetin Eats: Tonight' by Nagi Maehashi. Published by Macmillan Australia. Retail price: R699. Photography by Nagi Maehashi.
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