Cumin & Blood Orange Roasted Chicken Thighs

Directions

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. Let sit while you make the marinade.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, ground cumin, juice and zest of the limes and blood orange, and honey. Pour the marinade over chicken either in a large mixing bowl, resealable plastic bag and toss to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerated up to overnight. (Note: if the chicken thighs have been in the fridge, pull them out 30 minutes before cooking).

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the chicken thighs (working in batches if necessary), skin side down. Sear until the fat renders and the skin is a deep golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer the thighs to a plate or cutting board. (At this point, the thighs will not be fully cooked through, but the skin should be nicely seared).

5. Add the thinly sliced blood oranges and garlic to the skillet with the rendered chicken fat. Cook for about 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the citrus slices are starting to caramelize. Remove the citrus slices from the pan and set aside.

6. Pour the marinade into the skillet and let boil for a few minutes, until thickened slightly. Turn off the heat and return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up.

7. Place the blood orange slices on top and transfer the skillet to the oven, uncovered. Let cook until the thighs are fully cooked through and tender at the bone, about 15 minutes. (Brush the chicken thighs with the marinade from the pan a few times while they’re in the oven to glaze them. If using a meat thermometer, the chicken is done when it reaches 165 F degrees).

8. Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves, flakey sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.