Chris Manna, Designer

 

Ingredients

• 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, preferably toasted, divided
• 1 pound green beans
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 3 scallions
• Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)
• Kosher salt

Equipment

• Cast-iron skillet

Yields

• 6 chicken thighs

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Heat a large dry skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-low.
2. Pat 6 chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt. Rub only skin side of thighs with 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer thighs skin side down to skillet and cook until enough fat is rendered to cover bottom of skillet, about 5 minutes.
3. Once skin starts to brown, increase heat to medium. Rotate skillet to encourage even browning. Carefully lift up thighs to allow hot fat to run underneath. If thighs are stubborn and don’t want to release, let them go a bit longer.
4. Cook thighs until meat is opaque all around the edges and skin is deep golden brown, 10–12 minutes total. Transfer skin side up to a plate.
5. Pour out all but about 2 tablespoons fat/oil from skillet (you just want enough left to form a thin layer) and maintain medium-high heat. Add green beans and try to arrange so all are side by side in a single layer in direct contact with skillet. Cook green beans until tender.
6. Combine soy sauce, Sriracha, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.
7. Add chicken to skillet and arrange thighs over green beans and drizzle sauce over. Place into oven and roast until chicken thighs are cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part near the bone will register 165°), juices run clear, sauce is caramelized on chicken skin, and green beans are tender all the way through.
8. Remove skillet from oven. While skillet is resting, thinly slice the scallions.
9. Transfer chicken and beans to a platter or leave in skillet and drizzle pan juices over. Top with scallions and sesame seeds.