Chicken Thighs with Potato, Tomato and Lemon

Josilin loved this chicken.  Her words after the first bite were, "that is amazing chicken."  Followed by, "I call all leftovers to be sent on my lunch.  No seriously, no one is eating this but me.  This is like, serve it on my birthday good."  Not bad for a meal that was made almost entirely with ingredients laying around the kitchen.  In fact, I never would have predicted this would be made multiple times or grace the blog.

It amazes me how simple meals are what excites a palate sometimes.  I've made elaborate meals that I'm sure my family will love, only to have both kids barely touch it.  I should have known this one would be a hit.  A one pot wonder, similar in design to the Apple Sausage dish, the potatoes become crispy from the drips of chicken cooking above.  The lemon brings a hit of acidity that pulls it all together. 

 It's not super pretty to look at (have you tried taking a photo of chicken?)  but it won where it really matters: taste.  There are a couple steps to prep it, but ultimately you have a pot full of goodness that slides into the oven and cooks away while you can do as you wish.  In our case it was helping both kids get homework done at the kitchen table.  On a cool fall day, it warmed the kitchen and ultimately my heart with a not-so-little girl excited to eat it.

Chicken Thighs with Potato, Tomato and Lemon

adapted from Jamie at Home

4 medium new potatoes
6 chicken thighs, skin on
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3 Tbsp fresh oregeno
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt/pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add potatoes, cooking until softened.  Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon, turn off heat and reserve.  In boiling water, add tomatoes and allow to sit about 2 min.  Remove tomatoes from water and once cool enough to handle, remove skins and crush slightly.
Preheat oven to 400degrees.
Heat a large dutch oven on medium-high heat with olive oil.  Add chicken thighs and brown the skin; about 5 min per side.  Remove from dutch oven.  Place potatoes in bottom of pot, place chicken on top with tomatoes, oregeno, lemon juice and zest.  Bake with lid on about 40min.  Remove lid and bake 10 min more.  Enjoy!  Serve with steamed carrots and a nice green salad.