Chicken alla diavola
Italy’s devilishly peppery chicken: crackly skin, plenty of chile and black pepper, and a big squeeze of lemon at the end.
- 70 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $1.73 a serving
- 550 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 lemon
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
- 4 cups arugula (optional)
From your pantry
- 1½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1½ tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp salt
Each serving has about 550 calories, 34 g protein, 3 g carbs and 44 g fat, and costs about $1.73 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No fresh rosemary? Fresh thyme works.
- No bone-in chicken thighs? Chicken drumsticks work.
- No arugula? Baby spinach or spring mix works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the lemon into a bowl and squeeze in the juice of half. in the garlic, pepper flakes, black pepper, rosemary, oil and salt.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
the chicken dry and rub the paste all over it and under the skin. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Timer: 30 min
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
While it sits, the oven to 425°F.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Heat a large oven-safe over medium-high. Lay the thighs in skin side down and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin is deep .
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Medium-high heatTimer: 7 min
Dolly’s tip: It will spit. Lay a sheet pan loosely on top as a shield if it’s splattering a lot.Flip the thighs, move the to the oven, and 18 to 22 minutes, until the thickest one reads 165°F.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 20 min
Dolly’s tip: The handle is oven-hot now. Hang a towel over it so nobody grabs it bare.Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Let it 5 minutes, then squeeze the other lemon half over and serve on the arugula with the pan juices.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 5 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
