Rush Hour Gourmet

The perennial search for good, fast chicken almost invariably ends at the front of the bird. This time, look a little farther, to the thigh: it's meaty, moister and more flavorful than a boneless breast will ever be.

4 servings

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

3/4 teaspoon each, salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion

2 to 3 large cloves garlic

10 ounces baby bella or white mushrooms

1/3 cup dry white wine

6 to 8 chives, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Have an ovenproof platter ready.

2.

Trim away any excess skin and fat at the edges of chicken thighs. Cut a slit 1/2 inch deep into the flesh on either side of the thighbone so the meat cooks faster.

3.

Season thighs with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Arrange them skin side down in a nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid; place the skillet over high heat. When they start to sizzle, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 16 minutes; check to make sure they are browning. If cooking too fast after 10 minutes, reduce heat to low. The skin should be crisp and brown. Transfer the thighs skin side up to the platter and place in the oven.

4.

Meanwhile, cut the onion into 1/4-inch dice. Coarsely chop the garlic. Wash, trim and dry the mushrooms, and chop into 1/2-inch dice. Snip enough chives to yield 1 tablespoon; reserve for a garnish.

5.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms, stirring, over high heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper, then add the wine and any liquid around the thighs on the platter. Cook over high heat for about 1 minute to reduce the liquid.

6.

Divide the mushroom sauce among dinner plates. Place a thigh on top, and sprinkle with chives.

- Adapted from Jacques Pepin: More Fast Food My Way (Houghton Mifflin, 2008).

Per serving:

197 calories, 18 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fat, 58 milligrams cholesterol, 493 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.