Name: Crispy Chicken with Sauteed Radishes, Spinach, and Bacon
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half crosswise, drumsticks, and/or thighs), trimmed; Salt and pepper; 2 slices bacon, chopped fine; 10 ounces radishes, trimmed and quartered; 10 ounces (10 cups) baby spinach; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

Why This Recipe Works

Cooking the chicken in rendered bacon fat ensures both crisp skin and a subtle smoky flavor.

Before You Begin

To ensure crispy chicken skin, resist the urge to move the chicken while browning it in step 2.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cook bacon in ovensafe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate, leaving rendered fat behind.

Add chicken to skillet, skin side down, and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken, transfer skillet to oven, and roast until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and tent loosely with foil.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add radishes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and garlic and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in bacon and lemon juice. Transfer to serving platter and top with chicken. Serve with lemon wedges.