Skillet Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• Zest of one lemon
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3 or more shallots, peeled, halved

Directions

1. Combine the rosemary, lemon zest, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper in a mini-chopper, then process until the mixture is finely broken down. If you are working without a mini-chopper, chop the rosemary and garlic as finely as you can, then stir them together with the remaining seasonings. Pour in the tablespoon of olive oil and pulse once more.
2. Set the chicken thighs in a non-reactive bowl, then coat them thoroughly with the rosemary-lemon mixture. Turn the pieces so the skin faces down, and add the lemon juice over the top. Leave the chicken to marinate for an hour at room temperature, or refrigerate it for several hours or overnight. If chilled, bring it back to room temp for an hour before you cook.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Warm 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium high to high heat in a cast iron skillet, 10 to 12-inch, or another large oven-proof pan with a fairly stick-free surface, such as hard anodized aluminum. When the oil looks hot and shimmering, blot the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place them in the skillet with the skin facing down. Cook without shifting the pieces for 3-5 minutes, until the skin is well browned. Flip the thighs so the skin is on top, then take the skillet off the heat.
5. Tuck the garlic cloves and the shallots or onion wedges into the spaces around the chicken in the skillet. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
6. Take the skillet out of the oven. For safety, rub an ice cube over the hot handle to help cool it quickly, then cover the handle with a pot holder so no one grabs it barehanded by mistake.
7. Serve the chicken with rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes, or set it over baby arugula or spinach leaves for a low carb option.