Garlic Butter Chicken with Crispy Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 lbsbaby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 4 tbspunsalted butter
• 6 clovesgarlic, smashed
• 4 sprigsfresh thyme
• 1 sprigfresh rosemary
• 1lemon, halved
• to tastesea salt and black pepper
• to finishflaky salt and chopped parsley

Method

1. 01

   Bring the potatoes to a boil in well-salted water. Cook for ten minutes — they should give to a fork but hold their shape. Drain and let them steam-dry on a sheet pan. Wet potatoes won't crisp.

2. 02

   Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. 03

   Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place the thighs skin-side down and let them render undisturbed until the skin is deep gold and crisp, eight to ten minutes. The first eight minutes are sacred — moving the chicken means stripping the crust before it forms. Turn briefly to color the underside, then move to a plate.

4. 04

   Pour off all but a tablespoon of fat. Add the potatoes cut-side down to the same pan. Press them gently into the fat. The chicken-rendered fat is the seasoning here. Cook over medium heat until they're crisp and gold underneath, six to seven minutes.

5. 05

   Lower the heat. Add the butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the pan. Once the butter foams, return the chicken skin-side up, nestling it among the potatoes.

6. 06

   Tilt the pan toward you so the butter pools at one edge. Spoon the foaming butter over the chicken for a minute or two — basting cooks the top of the chicken in flavored fat without sacrificing the skin.

7. 07

   Squeeze the lemon halves over the pan and tuck them in. Cover loosely and cook on low heat for another five minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.