Chicken Thighs with Snap Peas and Agliata

Chef

Cookbook

These chicken thighs are coated with a garlicky bread crumb mixture and cooked slowly over the cooler part of the grill so you end up with juicy meat and toasted herbed crust. (Be sure to scoop up all the delightful little clumps of flavorful crumbs from the grill and scatter them over the chicken.) Start the thighs boned side down so that by the time you flip them over, the “presentation side” will have dried a bit and won’t stick to the grill.

Serves6

Cooking MethodGrilling

CostModerate

Easy

Total Timeunder 1 hour

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe CourseMain Course

Dietary ConsiderationEgg-free, Lactose-free, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free

EquipmentFood Processor, Grill

MealDinner

Taste and TextureCrisp, Garlicky, Herby, Juicy, Meaty, Savory

Ingredients

12 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 salt packed anchovies, filleted, rinsed, and patted dry, or 4 oil packed anchovy fillets, drained
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 shallots, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ teaspoon anchovy paste
1 pound snap peas, blanched in boiling water just until bright green, chilled in an ice bath, and drained
Olio Piccante for drizzling

Instructions

Combine the garlic, ½ cup of the oil, the anchovies, parsley, and bread crumbs in a food processor and zap until smoothish.
Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat well. Arrange in a single layer on a platter and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling.
Place the chicken thighs skinned side up on the cooler part of the grill, cover the grill, and grill, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and anchovy paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the snap peas and cook, stirring, just until heated through. Transfer the snap peas to a platter and set aside.
Arrange the thighs on top of the snap peas and serve with a drizzle of olio piccante.