Dishes don't recur that often in my kitchen, but one that does and that I got off this board long long ago was for "Rao's Lemon Chicken". I'm not even sure who Rao is--a restaurant in NYC? I just now tried to find it on WLDG classic to reprint with this post, but I couldn't for the life of me find it, so I'm just going to plunge in and describe the dish as I make it--no recipe or measuring required. And the thing is, what I really wanted to say about it was to thank whoever posted it originally if they are still amongst us (and an amazing number of you are), and then to reccomend that instead of cutting up a whole chicken, the perfect, and I mean PERFECT way to do this is to make the whole thing out of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It's a messy dish: you need a knife and fork and when you need a knife and fork, you don't need bones. Nor, with the sublime fat inherent in dark meat, do you need the extra calories of the skin.
This is not a shy dish. It is not subtle. There are no gentle nuances. No no no, this is a dish in which every element shouts at you and it's all good noise.
Here's how I go about it for two:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ugly veiny bits snipped away
Juice of 2-4 lemons, limes, or mixed
1 generous scoop of dried oregano, crushed as it goes in, about 1 rounded tablespoon
About 8 cloves of garlic, pulverized
a couple pinches of salt
black pepper
EVOO
Put the thighs in a bowl. Add enough lemon and or lime juice to pretty much cover the chicken. Add the oregano, garlic and a healthy pinch of salt, then about two tablespoons of olive oil. Don't skimp on this part because this marinade is going to become your sauce. Mix and let stand for an hour.
Now it's time to broil those puppies. This is the perfect time to use that two-piece broiler pan that came with your stove that you never use. Using a fork pull them out of the marinade (RESERVE THE MARINADE) and put them pretty side up on top part, then under a hot broiler for about 12 minutes, turning once after getting a good caramelized color about 7 or 8 minutes in. When they're done, remove the pan from the oven. Move the thighs from the top of the broiler pan to the bottom and splash the reserved marinade over. Put that back under the broiler and cook an additional three or so minutes while the marinade sterilizes and reduces. Now serve, complete with your pan sauce, over something that will take the job of soaking up those pan juices seriously. I've served it over noodles, boiled potatoes, and rice, but last week a favorite emerged: 1/2" thick sourdough bread toasted under the broiler with a light paint of olive oil, like crostini. Broccolini and rapini both make superb vegetable accompaniaments.
