Chicken Thighs with Lemony Sauce Vierge

Chicken Thighs with Lemony Sauce Vierge

Brighten up crisp chicken thighs with fresh tomatoes and juicy red grapes.

Ingredients :

• 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 (12-ounce) container campari tomatoes (12 to 14 tomatoes), halved
• 3/4 cup halved red grapes (12 to 14 grapes)
• 1/3 cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot)
• 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 2 garlic cloves)
• 15 fresh tarragon leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• flaky sea salt, lemon wedges, and extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in top third and lower third positions. Set an oven-safe wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Pat chicken thighs dry. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons kosher salt evenly over all sides of thighs; set aside on a plate.
2. Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium. Add 4 thighs, skin side down, and cook, until skin is golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer thighs, skin side down, to prepared baking sheet. Pour rendered chicken fat from skillet into a small bowl; set aside. Repeat process with remaining 4 thighs.
3. Bake chicken in preheated oven on top rack until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thighs registers 170°F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let chicken rest for 5 minutes. Do not turn the oven off.
4. Stir together tomatoes and grapes in a medium bowl. Stir together shallot, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, parsley, garlic, tarragon, black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a separate medium-size heatproof bowl. Add half of the tomato-grape mixture (about 1 3/4 cups) to bowl with shallot mixture, and set aside.
5. Place reserved rendered chicken fat and remaining half of tomato-grape mixture in skillet. Place skillet on lower oven rack. Roast at 425°F until tomatoes blister and oil is bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer hot tomato-grape mixture along with chicken fat to bowl with tomato-shallot mixture. Cover bowl, and set aside at room temperature until sauce has cooled.
6. Place 2 chicken thighs on each of 4 plates, and spoon about 1/2 cup sauce on and around chicken. Top with flaky salt, lemon wedges, and olive oil.