Whew, there’s a lot of pressure for a first post! Which is why I’m turning to the tried-and-true, classic, utterly foolproof Melissa Clark for some support. I love the New York Times Cooking section, but Melissa Clark is always dependable, relatable, and makes the most approachable videos. This particular chicken dish is bright, salty, flavorful, and oh so easy. It takes a bit of time with the cooking, but it’s mostly dead time waiting for the chicken to brown / cook, etc., and the food prep is minimal. The anchovies are magical, adding a umami, robust flavor to the dish – do not skip them! They don’t make the resulting dish taste fishy at all. Also, if you happen to have a can of sardines in your cupboard and are wondering whether sardines and anchovies are similar and you can substitute them… they’re not. You can’t.
I doubled the recipe for leftovers and also because I conveniently had 10 anchovy fillets in my tin. The recipe calls for chicken thighs, but Melissa Clark says you can substitute breasts (and subtract 3 minutes off the final cooking time). I also imagine it would be delicious with drumsticks or even whole chicken wings as well. I also coarsely chop the garlic because I like eating roasted garlic pieces with my chicken, but if you don’t particularly care either way, you can just leave them smashed and it’s even less food prep.
When you’re done and the kitchen is fragrant with garlic and lemon, please serve this with crusty bread, buttery noodles, rice, or some other mild carb to soak up all that delicious sauce. You will have a lot of it, and trust me – none of it should be wasted! We ate it with basmati rice and roasted vegetables. You’ll have time to prep and cook some simple sides such as these while the chicken is cooking, and should be able to get a balanced, restaurant-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. This chicken is definitely a weeknight staple in our household!
| Servings | Fuss Factor | Total Time | Prep Time | Cook Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-6 | 2-3* | 50 minutes | 25 minutes** | 25 minutes |
Garlicky Chicken with Lemon Anchovy Sauce
Adapted from the New York Times
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed, and coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 anchovy fillets
- 4 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
- Crushed red pepper
- 2 lemons, juiced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350°F. Season the chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper and let rest. Mince two of the garlic cloves and set aside. In a large, ovenproof skillet (I used a 12-inch cast iron pan) over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the remaining 10 chopped (or smashed) garlic cloves, anchovies, capers, and a couple of dashes of crushed red pepper. Let cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies, until the garlic browns around the edges and the anchovies dissolve, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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Add the chicken thighs to the pan and cook until nicely browned on one side, about 7 minutes. Don’t worry - you won't burn the garlic. The chicken will release juices as it hits the hot pan and sort of braise all the aromatics you’ve just fried in the oil. Flip the thighs, place the pan in the oven and cook about another 7-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. You can check doneness with a meat thermometer - the thickest part of the thigh should read 165°F. Don't worry if your chicken still looks a bit pink - thighs can look pinkish, especially near the bone, even when cooked.
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When the chicken is done, take the skillet out of the oven and transfer the thighs to another plate. Heat the skillet and its juices over medium heat and add the minced garlic and half the lemon juice. The juices should begin to simmer – cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pan and cook it in the sauce for about another 30 seconds.
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Drizzle the remaining lemon juice over the chicken and garnish with a handful of chopped parsley. It makes a beautiful dish served straight from the pan!
Final Notes:
*Longish cook time, but much of that is dead time
**This is what my timer said, but I have no idea why it was so long. Maybe I was fussing around with my whole extra pound of chicken (see below)! I’ll update if necessary once I’ve made this dish again. Because I will be making it again. And again and again and again!
Eagle eyed readers will ask – why is there so much chicken in your pictures?? I confess – I completely goofed, and accidentally added a whole extra pound of chicken – that is, in addition to the quantity specified after doubling the original recipe. What can I say – somehow, I thought that 3.5 = 2.5??? Anyway, it still came out delicious. The chicken was a bit blander and the juices more watery and so the whole dish wasn’t as rich, but the flavor that was there was still great. So don’t worry – even if you’re as absentminded as I am, this recipe is utterly forgiving.
Made this? Have some feedback? Let me know! Leave a comment below, or tag #trialbyfryer on Instagram. Happy cooking!