Cranberry-Glazed Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 whole chicken legs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 shallots, minced
• 6 ounces fresh cranberries
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the upper middle position and heat the oven to 425°F. Use a rimmed baking sheet, setting the chicken on it with the skin facing up. Blot it dry, then use 1 tablespoon oil to coat the pieces; add salt and pepper. Roast until the meat is 3/4 of the way done, about 130°F, and the skin has turned golden, 15 to 20 minutes. If the oven starts smoking, spoon off the rendered fat.
2. As the chicken roasts, start the glaze. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the shallots along with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let them cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the cranberries and 1/2 cup water, then bring the pot to a simmer, adjusting the heat as needed. Keep it bubbling gently until the berries soften and start to collapse, mashing a few times with a potato masher as they cook.
3. Scoop out and set aside 1/2 cup of the cranberry mixture. Pour the rest through a strainer, pressing hard on the solids; you should end up with about 1/2 cup. Pour that strained liquid back into the pot. Add the dry mustard, brown sugar, and honey, and stir. Over medium high heat, bring it back to a simmer and let it cook down until it is thick and syrupy, measuring about 3/4 cup. Mix in the thyme, then adjust the seasoning. Set aside about 1/4 cup for brushing on the chicken.
4. When the chicken reaches that point, take the pan out of the oven. Top each chicken leg with 1 tablespoon glaze, spreading it over the skin. Raise the oven to 475°F, return the chicken, and roast until it is cooked through, 170°F, with a darker, caramelized glaze, 5 to 10 more minutes.
5. Stir the reserved cranberries into the glaze that was not used on the chicken, and serve that alongside the chicken.