Thyme thighs

I’ve made this recipe for more than a decade. It’s another one that’s super-easy with a handful of ingredients that deliver a lot of flavor. Better still, it’s high in protein, low in calories, fat and carbs and is easy on the budget. 

It’s from Mitzi Perdue’s chicken cookbook. She’s an expert on poultry and ways to cook it, having been married to the late Frank Perdue of the eponymous Maryland poultry company. My copy is literally falling apart from use, so I appreciate the fact that many of the recipes are on the Perdue website, but this one is not.

It uses skinless chicken thighs, but bone-in for flavor. Those were $3 per pound at the market, but bone-in, skin-on thighs were on sale for just $1 per pound. No contest. It takes barely a minute to remove the skin from six thighs, especially if you adopt this tip: handle them with paper toweling which not only keeps your hands clean but also gives you a non-slip grip to pull off the skin. Use kitchen shears to snip off any remaining bits of fat.

You’ll see a little white wine goes into the pan, leaving behind flavor after the calories have cooked off. If you choose not to use wine, try white grape juice, chicken broth or even water in its place. If you do use wine, the kitchen will smell so good while it simmers. And no salt is called for. I’ve never needed to add it; the seasonings are just right for me.

Mitzi Perdue’s Thyme Thighs

Adapted from The Perdue Chicken Cookbook

6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, about 1 pound
2 TB flour
1/8 tsp fresh-ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne [I like a little more]
2 TB vegetable oil
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed or leaves, or 1 TB fresh
1/2 cup dry white wine*

*I do as Julia Child did and keep an inexpensive bottle of dry vermouth in the pantry for cooking. It stays good for months.

On a paper plate or sheet of wax paper, combine the flour, nutmeg and cayenne. Coat the thighs well on both sides, shaking off excess.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium to medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the thighs, meaty side down, and cook 5 -7 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn over and cook another 5 -7 minutes.

Sprinkle the thyme onto the thighs, pour on the wine, cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and the chicken is tender.

It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken – Frank Perdue’s slogan

Serves 3 – 4

Copyright (C) 2008  From Scratch  All Rights Reserved           Print This Post

Tagged as: budget meals, chicken, healthy recipes