From “The 150 Best American Recipes” by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens. This recipe by Bill Devin. A little allioli goes a long way. Serves 6.
Ingredients
ALLIOLI
2 large garlic cloves
Kosher or sea salt
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
CHICKEN
12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of fat, rinsed and patted dry
2 large lemons, each cut into six 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 bunch fresh rosemary, snipped into 12 2-inch pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, snipped into 12 2-inch pieces
12 fresh sage leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
To make the allioli:
Using a mortar and pestle (or a small mixing bowl and the back of a spoon), mash the garlic with a large pinch of salt to create a coarse paste. (Or mince the garlic very finely on a cutting board.) Add the oil very slowly in drops while pounding and grinding the paste until the allioli is thick, creamy and emulsified.
To make the chicken:
Put the chicken in a large bowl. Rub the allioli all over, including under the skin. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and set a rack in the middle level.
Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in a large, shallow roasting pan or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top each slice with a piece of rosemary, a piece of thyme and a sage leaf. Place the chicken thighs skin side up on top; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake until the skin is golden and juices run clear, 45 to 60 minutes.
Sometimes the lemon slices and chicken produce a lot of juices, in which case you can make a delicious pan sauce. Transfer the chicken (keeping the herbs and lemon slices underneath) to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Tilt the pan to pool the juices in one corner. Spoon off the fat that rises to the top. Set the pan over medium heat (if the pan isn’t flameproof, pour the juices into a small skillet) and scrape up any stuck-on bits. Let the juices boil and reduce so they thicken to a sauce. To maintain the crisp skin, drizzle the sauce around, not on, the chicken. Serve the chicken pieces sitting on their beds of lemon and herbs.
