Chicken Thighs with Cherry Relish
It’s here! The season I wait for all year: cherry season! I know I talk about all sorts of fruit I wait for, but this one’s legit! Yes, I love peaches, apricots and pretty much all stone fruits. But cherries are my absolute favorite. This is a new thing though because it’s all due to one specific cherry variety.
See, I’ve always loved cherries, but a few years ago I discovered the best cherry on earth. No, they’re not Bings. Don’t get me wrong, Bings are great, but there’s this other cherry out there that is on a whole other level. They’re called Tartarians. They’re sweet and soft and seriously the most amazing cherry on the planet. I’m not lying when I say I wait all year for the vendor at my farmer’s market to show up with them.
I know I’ve talked about and cooked with them before, but that’s how much I love them. I tell everyone I can about the Tartarians. I’m such an advocate at this point, people hear me raving at the market and ask about them. While their flavor is totally unique, the biggest issue with them is the fact that they’re so soft. These aren’t the kind of cherry you can have hang out on your counter or in the fridge for weeks on end. These cherries need to be used pretty quickly because they’re so soft and so will rot rapidly. That’s why they’re best for pie or cake recipes. But sweet treats aren’t the only way I use these adorable little red spheres. I use them for syrups and savory dishes as well.
While I can never get enough of cookies and cakes, I also love sweet things mixed with savory. There’s nothing better on the palate than a salty piece of meat that’s covered with a sweet salsa or relish. It’s like a party for your mouth and who doesn’t love a good party? This chicken dish from Real Simple is a great example. You have salty bone-in chicken thighs with extra crispy skin that are covered with a sweet balsamic sauce and finished with the relish. The Tartarians are ideal for this recipe because they’re sweet with a slight tang, and so meld perfectly with the savory chicken. That tang brings out the sour notes from the vinegar, while the sweet enhances the savory flavors of the chicken itself. Pair this dish with a nice pinot grigio or crisp rosé and you have a delightful dinner that will take you all the way through cherry season.
Notes
Adapted from Real Simple
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 1-1/4 teapoons salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 8 ounces fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and set aside.
- Mix shallots, lemon juice, honey, and remaining salt in a small bowl; set aside.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1 teaspoon each pepper and salt.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer, skin side up, to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining thighs. Roast until skin is crispy and chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir cherries, parsley, and thyme into shallot mixture.
- Whisk butter, balsamic and remaining pepper together in a separate bowl.
- Serve chicken topped with balsamic glaze and cherry salsa.
