Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs)
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Make the Paste and Marinate the Chicken
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped roasted red peppers, avocado oil, all the fresh herbs, minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mash everything together with a fork until it forms a chunky paste.
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with a paper towel. A dry surface is essential for crispy skin.
Gently slide your fingers between the skin and the meat of each thigh to create a pocket. Stuff about a tablespoon of the paste into each pocket, spreading it directly onto the meat. Use the remaining paste to coat the outside of the thighs.
Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
Roast the Chicken
Preheat your oven to 400F. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes to take the chill off, which helps it cook more evenly.
Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure to leave space between each piece. If they are crowded, the skin will steam instead of getting crispy.
Roast for ~40-45 minutes. The chicken is done when the skin is deep golden-brown and crispy, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 165F.
Glaze and Rest
During the last 5 minutes of cooking, pull the pan out of the oven and brush the pomegranate molasses evenly over the crispy skin of each thigh.
Return the pan to the oven and watch it carefully. The molasses will bubble and caramelize into a beautiful dark glaze in just a few minutes. Pull it out before it starts to burn.
Let the chicken rest on the pan for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring it’s moist. The pan drippings are incredibly flavorful and can be spooned over the chicken or some rice.
Roasted Red Pepper & Herb Chicken with Pomegranate Molasses
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs)
- 1 cup roasted red peppers chopped
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the roasted red peppers, the avocado oil, the herbs, the garlic, the paprika, the salt, and the pepper into a chunky paste.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with the paper towels.
- Create pockets between the skin and meat of each thigh and stuff with a tablespoon of the paste.
- Coat the outside of the thighs with the remaining paste.
- Marinate covered in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Place the chicken skin-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between pieces.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes until the skin is golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Brush the pomegranate molasses over the skin during the last 5 minutes.
- Return to the oven until the molasses caramelizes, about 3-5 minutes.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
