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Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel-Apple Slaw

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 17, 2019

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel-Apple Slaw

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice 1 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper, divided1 large fennel bulb, 2 tablespoons fronds chopped, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin1 large red apple, halved, cored, and sliced thin8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with Honeycrisp apples.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk sour cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add fennel bulb and apple and toss to combine; set aside.
  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with cayenne, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to rimmed baking sheet and roast until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer salad to serving platter and sprinkle with basil and fennel fronds. Serve salad with chicken.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel-Apple Slaw
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel-Apple Slaw

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 large fennel bulb, 2 tablespoons fronds chopped, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
1 large red apple, halved, cored, and sliced thin
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 large fennel bulb, 2 tablespoons fronds chopped, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
1 large red apple, halved, cored, and sliced thin
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 large fennel bulb, 2 tablespoons fronds chopped, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
1 large red apple, halved, cored, and sliced thin
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves

Why This Recipe Works

Letting the fennel sit in the dressing while the chicken cooked helped season the fennel and made it more tender.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with Honeycrisp apples.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk sour cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add fennel bulb and apple and toss to combine; set aside.
  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with cayenne, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to rimmed baking sheet and roast until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer salad to serving platter and sprinkle with basil and fennel fronds. Serve salad with chicken.

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