Pan Fried Crispy Chicken and Rice

Pan Fried Crispy Chicken and Rice Recipe

Ingredients

chicken thighs, with bone in and skin attached
1 tsp olive oil
chorizo, (ground variety)
jack cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
ancho chili powder (optional)
1/2 cup salsa verde

Additional Ingredients

Poblano Rice
Guacamole
Radishes, sliced
chipotle lime mayo

Preparation

Carefully remove the bones and any loose cartilage from the chicken while keeping the skin intact. Trim and loose fat. Pat dry with a paper towel and season liberally with salt, pepper and ancho chili powder.

Add the chorizo to a small pan and heat over medium heat. Breaking apart with a fork and occasionally stirring for about 10 minutes until fully cooked and a bit crispy here and there. Remove from heat and stir in a handful of shredded jack cheese or any other melting cheese.

Add the olive oil to a cold cast iron pan and spread evenly in pan. Place the chicken, skin side down in the cold pan. Don’t crowd the pan. Place a heavy lid or pan on top of the chicken. This will keep the skin nice and flat against the bottom of the pan. Place the heat on medium high and cook for 10-12 minutes. After a few minutes, you’ll hear the chicken sizzling. Closer to the 10 minutes it will really be cooking nicely. Once you lift the heavy lid/pan covering the chicken, be careful because the oil in the pan will really be splattering a bit at this point. Check to see if the skin is nice and crispy and browned. Flip the chicken and cover the pan with a splatter guard. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. Pour off the majority of the rendered fat from the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the salsa verde. Stir the salsa while scraping the bits of chicken stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add a little water or chicken stock if the salsa becomes too thick.

Slice the chicken with a sharp knife otherwise the skin will come loose from the chicken, Place over a bit of rice, and add the chorizo/cheese mixture, guacamole, sliced radish, and a bit of the salsa reduction from the pan. Finish with some chipotle lime mayo and some minced cilantro. Awesome.