Roasted

chicken legs

with Sourdough Bread & Poblanos

HANDS-ON TIME

20 MIN

TOTAL TIME

1 HR 10 MIN

Serves 4

This is by far my favorite way to roast chicken legs—or any part of the chicken, really—because it creates the ultimate one-pan meal. And if you love croutons as much as I do, you’ll appreciate the genius move of roasting the chicken on top of bits of torn sourdough. What happens is the bread absorbs all the rich pan juices and a little bit of fat from the bird, turning addictively chewy on the inside and supremely crispy on the edges—the croutons of your dreams. One quick note about the chiles here: If you can’t find poblanos, feel free to substitute cubanelles or another thin-skinned pepper.

• ½ pound sourdough or other rustic bread, torn into 1½-inch pieces
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 4 poblano peppers, cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips and seeded
• 2 red onions, cut through the core into 1-inch wedges
• 12 garlic cloves, halved
• 6 fresh oregano sprigs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 whole chicken legs (2¾ pounds)
• 2 teaspoons crushed coriander seeds (see Note)
• Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread with the olive oil, poblanos, onions, garlic, and oregano. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Lightly brush the chicken legs with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, and the crushed coriander.

Place the chicken on top of the bread and vegetables. Roast for 50 to 55 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest chicken thigh registers 160°F. Transfer the chicken, bread, and vegetables to plates and serve with lime wedges.

DO IT AHEAD Once assembled on the baking sheet, you can refrigerate the uncooked chicken and vegetables for a few hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before roasting.

NOTE Crushed coriander seeds lend a fresher flavor than ground coriander; plus, they add fun crunchy texture. To crush them, put the seeds in a small resealable plastic bag and pound them lightly with the bottom of a small sk]illet.