Slow-Baked Chicken Thighs With Tomato, Fennel, And Lemon - butter

Method

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish; tilt to coat bottom of dish. Top with fennel.
• Rub salt into chicken; arrange chicken over fennel. Hand-crush tomatoes; tuck between thighs. Scatter garlic and lemon over chicken; sprinkle with thyme.
• Cut 1 tablespoon butter into pieces; scatter over dish. Cover; bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 180°.
• Uncover; bake 45 minutes, basting every 5 to 10 minutes.
• Combine bread and cheese in a food processor; pulse for coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over chicken; drizzle with basting juices. Bake 10 minutes. Top with parsley.
• Variation:
• Tomatillo and Chayote Chicken: Sub onion for fennel, 3 cups diced chayote for tomatoes, and 3 chopped tomatillos for lemons. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano in place of thyme, increase salt to 3/4 teaspoon, and add 2 sliced serrano chiles with veggies. Rather than bread and Parm, use 3 tablespoons Cotija cheese. Top with cilantro instead of parsley; serve with lime wedges. Serves 6 (serving size: 4 ounces meat and about 2/3 cup vegetables) CALORIES 270; FAT 4g (sat 7g); SODIUM 467mg
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