Crispy Lemon White Wine Chicken Thighs

with Lemon Pearl Couscous, Heirloom Green Beans & Rosemary Orange Finishing Salt

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken

For the Lemon Pearl Couscous

For the Heirloom Green Beans

Instructions

Step 1 | Prepare the Chicken

Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. The drier the skin, the crispier it will become.

Season only the meat side with freshly cracked black pepper, leaving the skin unseasoned for now.

Kendra’s Tip: If you have time, let the chicken rest uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking. This helps dry the skin even more for maximum crispiness.

Step 2 | Crisp the Chicken

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.

Place the chicken skin-side down in the skillet.

Now comes the hardest part…

Don’t touch it.

Allow the skin to slowly render for 10–12 minutes until it’s deeply golden and crisp.

Flip the chicken and cook for another 3–4 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Kendra’s Tip: Make sure your pan is fully heated before adding the chicken. I got impatient and my chicken stuck a little—but when the pan is hot enough, the skin releases naturally and becomes beautifully crisp.

Step 3 | Make the Lemon White Wine Sauce

Carefully pour off most of the rendered chicken fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.

Add:

Cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Pour in the white wine, scraping up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Allow the wine to reduce by about half.

Stir in:

Simmer for 5–6 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in:

Taste and season with freshly cracked black pepper.

The sauce should be buttery, bright, and silky with plenty of fresh lemon flavor.

Step 4 | Finish the Chicken

Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up, keeping the crispy skin above the sauce.

Transfer to a 400°F oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F.

Just before serving, sprinkle the chicken generously with your Rosemary & Orange Peel Finishing Salt.

Lemon Pearl Couscous

While the chicken cooks, prepare the couscous.

Toast the pearl couscous in olive oil until lightly golden.

Add the chicken stock and simmer according to the package directions until tender.

Finish with a pinch of Rosemary & Orange Peel Finishing Salt.

Heirloom Green Beans

Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil.

Blanch the heirloom green beans for 2–3 minutes, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to preserve their vibrant color.

Melt the butter in a skillet and toss the beans just until warmed through.

Finish with a generous sprinkle of Rosemary & Orange Peel Finishing Salt.

Kendra’s Tip: These beans are so beautiful they hardly need anything else. The butter and finishing salt let their natural sweetness shine.

To Serve

Spread the warm pearl couscous onto a large serving platter.

Nestle the crispy chicken thighs over the top.

Spoon the lemon white wine sauce around the chicken, allowing the skin to stay crisp.

Arrange the heirloom green beans alongside.

Finish with:

Kendra’s Favorite Finishing Touch ✨

Just before serving, make a quick lemon gremolata by combining:

Sprinkle it over the finished dish for a burst of fresh citrus and herbs that perfectly complements the rich chicken and bright white wine sauce.

Garden Notes 🌿

This recipe was inspired by a simple homemade finishing salt made with dehydrated orange peels and fresh rosemary from my garden. Paired with beautiful heirloom green beans from Love Apple Farm, it’s a reminder that sometimes the simplest seasonal ingredients create the most memorable meals.

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