BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS AND LEMON PICKLES
Start to finish: 13 hours, (40 minutes hands-on) Servings: 8 2-1/2 lemons, preferably thinskinned 3 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 8 medium chicken thighs One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, or one 9-ounce box defrosted frozen artichoke hearts 1/3 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or dill
Rinse the lemons well and slice them crosswise 1/4-inch thick. Arrange half of the slices in one layer (or slightly overlapping) in the bottom of a noncorrosive baking dish or pie plate and sprinkle half the salt evenly over the slices. Repeat with the remaining slices and salt, cover and leave at room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours. Rinse the lemons and remove the seeds. Only half will be used in this recipe; keep the second half, covered, in the refrigerator for other uses. The pickles will keep for two weeks in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large ovenproof skillet heat the 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt on the skin side, reduce the heat to medium and working in batches if necessary (if all the chicken doesn't fit easily in the pan), cook the chicken skin side down until the skin is nicely browned. Transfer the pieces to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken if it didn't all fit in the pan the first time. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat left in the pan.
Pat the artichoke hearts very dry using paper towels. Add them to the skillet and cook them over medium-high heat, turning them occasionally until they are golden. Turn off the heat, return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up, and add half the pickled lemon slices. Pour the wine over the skillet and put the skillet on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until it is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken, artichokes and lemon slices to each of eight plates and pour some of the juice from the bottom of the skillet over each portion. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve right away.