Why This Recipe Works

To get ultracrispy skin on our bone-in chicken pieces, we dried the chicken well and then placed it skin side down in a cold nonstick skillet. We seasoned the meat with fresh rosemary, covered the skillet, and cooked the chicken over medium heat to render the fat until the skin was light golden brown. Then we increased the heat to medium-high to fully cook the chicken and take the skin to a gorgeous deep golden brown. While the chicken rested, we made an easy pan sauce with garlic, more rosemary, lemon zest and juice, butter, and fresh chives.

Before You Begin

For even cooking, it’s important to buy chicken pieces within the specifications given. If you prefer all dark meat, this recipe will work with a total of eight bone-in thighs or drumsticks; if you prefer all white meat, you can use four bone-in breasts. Note that the chicken is started in a cold skillet to give the fat time to render.

Instructions

for the chicken

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place breasts on cutting board, bone side down, and cover with plastic wrap. Using meat pounder, pound thick ends of breasts to 3/4- to 1-inch thickness. Season all chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in cold 12-inch nonstick skillet and sprinkle with rosemary.

Cover skillet and place over medium heat. (If using electric stove, preheat burner for 3 minutes over medium heat.) Cook chicken, without moving it, until skin is light golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook, covered, until skin is deep golden brown and crispy and breasts register 160 degrees and thighs/drumsticks register at least 175 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes longer, rotating skillet halfway through cooking. (If using drumsticks, flip them during last 5 minutes of cooking.) Transfer chicken, skin side up, to platter and tent with aluminum foil.

for the herb sauce

While chicken rests, pour off all but 2 teaspoons fat from skillet. Add garlic and rosemary and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits. Off heat, stir in water and lemon zest and juice. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and emulsified.

Stir in chives and any accumulated chicken juices; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.