Chicken and Potatoes

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Chicken and Potatoes was a surprise hit for our Thursday dinner bash. Based on Lidia's recipe on her Lidia's Italy website, it was indeed something to brag about. No wonder her family asks for it a lot. A simple dish cooked without a lot of fuss but with all the rich flavor of what you will expect from slaving for hours in the kitchen, this dish will not disappoint. I made it with bits of bacon to flavor the frying oil and the chicken took on the flavor of bacon which is always a good thing. I also used baby potatoes which I cut in half and it cooked to such tender perfection it balanced the dish really well. You do need to fry a lot but you can keep your eye on how much oil you use. The caramelization that came from some parts of the chicken sticking to the pan actually added to the overall flavor of the dish. It is definitely a family dish to share and enjoy with your loved ones.

Chicken and Potatoes - Adapted*

2-3 lbs chicken thighs
1 lb baby potatoes, halved
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 lb bacon
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

1. Heat the skillet over medium heat and brown the bacon until crisp and 
    crunchy. Spoon them out and set aside. Add about half of the vegetable 
    oil and increase the heat to medium high. 

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and in the same skillet, brown 
    the chicken pieces in batches. Set them aside. Add more oil when 
    needed during the browning process. Reduce the heat to medium.

3. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and season with salt. Mix well. Fry 
    them in the same skillet cut side down and fry them until crisp. Invert 
    the potato halves and fry them until crispy on the other side. 

4. Add the onions and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Mix them 
    together to saute. Return the chicken pieces and toss them all to 
    combine. Spread them out on the pan and cook covered for about 7 
    minutes. 

5. With your spatula, retoss and spread out the chicken and potatoes 
    making sure that you scrape the browned pieces stuck on the pan. Cook 
   for another 7 minutes covered. 

6. For the last time, toss and combine and cook covered for another 10 
    minutes. After 10 minutes, scrape with your spatula to release the chicken
    and potatoes stuck on the pan. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes. 

7. Check for flavor and correct the seasoning. Crumble the browned bacon 
    and toss into the mix and garnish with the chopped parsley and a good 
    drizzling of extra virgin olive oil.

*Lidia's Italy: My Mother's Chicken and Potatoes recipe.