Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cracked Coriander

Serves 4
Time: 40 minutes

• 4-6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seed, crushed with the bottom of a heavy pan
• 1 tablespoon freshly picked thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Remove chicken thighs from refrigerator 20-30 minutes before you’re ready to cook. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine crushed coriander, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Generously sprinkle over all chicken sides.
4. Add olive oil to the bottom of a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven to thinly coat (Dutch oven’s higher walls helps prevent splatter). Heat pan over medium-high heat until surface is hot but not smoking. Arrange chicken thighs skin side down so that they have maximum surface contact and are not too crowded or they will steam.
5. Cook chicken 2 minutes, then drop heat to medium and cook another 8 minutes on the stove top to encourage fat to render from the skin for maximum crispiness.
6. Spoon some of the rendered fat over each piece of chicken. Toss garlic cloves into the pan and carefully transfer to the oven for another 10 minutes. Flip chicken pieces so skin side is up and return to the oven to finish cooking, another 10 minutes or so. The skin should be deeply golden brown and crisp with juicy meat beneath.
7. Remove chicken to plate to rest 5 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, squeeze cooked garlic cloves into the remaining fat in the pan and whisk to combine and distribute. Ladle a spoonful over chicken before enjoying!