Get Comfortable

If ever you wanted to throw the trendy word "seasonal" around and seem like a hip "foodie" (have we reached over-saturation on those two terms, especially the second one? I've gotta think so. It's become kind of cringe-inducing. I'm in the wine business, and it's like when people say to me "Oh, you're in the wine business? You must be a connoisseur." And I'm like "No, I just like to drink."), then you should throw this oh-so-autumnal, super easy, and way too satisfying roast chicken thigh recipe together. This is like wrapping a happy blanket of succulent chicken thighs and steaming hot root vegetables around your body....hmm...maybe that doesn't sound so good...but you get where I'm going. Feel free to sub in any roastable vegetables that suit your fancy....I threw in some brussel sprouts when I made it. We loved it, and it is absolutely dinner party worthy!
For your drinking pleasure you might want to follow my lead and pour a glass or several of the newly released 2008 Cameron Winery "Dundee Hills" Chardonnay. John Paul who is the wine savant at Cameron makes one of the two or three best chards in Oregon, and for my money in the U.S. beautifully pure fruit, a very judicious touch of oak, perfect balance. This worked fantastically with the richness of the chicken anbd roasted vegetables.
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Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs w/ root vegetables
adapted from epicurious/Bon Appetit

yield: makes 4-6 servings

ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 Oriental sweet potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick spears
4 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick spears
8-10 whole peeled garlic cloves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

method:
1- Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat large roasting pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Place chicken in roasting. Turn to coat with oil and set skin side up. Mix salt, thyme, 1½ teaspoons pepper, and nutmeg in small bowl. Sprinkle half of mixture over chicken. Roast until chicken starts to brown and some fat has rendered, about 30 minutes.

2- Meanwhile, combine all vegetables and garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining salt-thyme mixture in large bowl. Transfer thighs to medium bowl; set aside. Transfer potato-carrot mixture to same roasting pan; turn to coat with drippings. Roast until vegetables soften, 20-30 minutes. Place thighs on vegetables; pour accumulated juices from chicken over. Return sheet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked and vegetables brown, 15 minutes longer. Place vegetables and chicken on platter; top with chives if desired.

note: the vegetables when I made it got quite dark on one side. Not burned, just very dark and caramelized (which we liked). This was a good thing, but keep an eye on them toward the end of the vegetable cooking cycle.- bb