Serves 4 | 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large or 8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- kosher or sea salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise (about 2 heaping cups)
- 1/4 preserved lemon, inside removed, and peel minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Crusty bread or roasted potatoes, to serve
Recipe
Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet, skin-side down. Cook without moving the pieces, until the skin is crispy and a rich golden-brown color, 15–20 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning.
Meanwhile, rinse the leek stalks under running water to remove any remaining dirt or sand, holding the layers together and peeling back a section at a time to clean. Pat dry with a clean towel. Place the leeks cut-side face down on a cutting board and slice them into half moons about 1/4” thick across the stalk.
After the first side of the chicken is ready, give it a flip and repeat on the underside. Let cook for about 5 minutes, then toss in the leeks. Coat them with the chicken juices, season with pepper, and allow them to soften and brown just a bit until lightly caramelized at the edges. Again, adjust heat as needed to avoid burning.
Add the preserved lemon peel to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for a minute or so, then add the wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. While the wine reduces, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat until they start to lightly brown, 3–5 minutes.
The chicken is finished cooking after the meat around the bone is cooked through. When done, stir the butter into the leeks until melted, then remove skillet from the heat and add pine nuts and rosemary. Taste the leeks, adding salt if needed (preserved lemon tends to vary in its saltiness).
Serve with plenty of crusty bread or roasted potatoes to mop up the sauce.