Chicken is what’s for dinner in many of our households tonight: It recently surpassed beef as the most common meat purchased
in America. And chances are, if you’re eating chicken, it’s all-white-meat breasts. Pan-fried, breaded, or stuffed into casseroles, breasts are America’s favorite cut of chicken. But what’s interesting is that this preference for white meat chicken is decidedly American—most other country’s cuisine favors richer, more savory dark meat, according to an investigation into worldwide poultry consumption on Slate.com.
We might want to follow suit. Dark meat—like on the chicken’s legs—has more nutrients, and only marginally more calories and fat. I was first lured to the dark side after talking to dietitian Colleen Pierre, R.D., for an article I was writing for Fitness magazine about healthy postpartum eating. She called dark meat poultry a new-mom superfood for its high amounts of iron and zinc—two nutrients which aren’t just great for nourishing postpartum bodies, but growing bodies, too. So I started buying boneless, skinless thighs and occasionally drumsticks instead of breasts to eat during pregnancy, and later, to mince into baby food; and lo and behold, along with being more nutritious, they’re more delicious, too.
My sister Julie, a former professional chef, introduced me to lemon-garlic marinated chicken thighs long ago, and it’s amazing how everyone loves the recipe. What’s more amazing is how much kids—some of whom have never enjoyed a piece of chicken that wasn’t smothered in a crunchy coating—enjoy it, too. I add a little honey to the marinade to balance the citrus with a little sweetness. It’s a winner with pasta, rice, roasted carrots, or any other veggie, and then diced into a salad with some green apple slices and goat cheese crumbles for a grown-up lunch the next day.
Two tips: use fresh lemons rather than bottled lemon juice (the zest is key); and marinade the thighs at least a few hours, or even better, overnight, for extra flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup canola or olive oil
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (available in many supermarkets; you can also ask a butcher to remove the bones and skin from the thighs.)
Instructions
- Halve lemon and squeeze juice into small bowl. Using a zesting tool or the fine side of a box grater, remove zest from half the lemon, and add to juice. Whisk in honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour oil in, whisking briskly to emulsify the marinade. Place thighs in dish or in a plastic Ziploc bag, and pour marinade over, distributing evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, or as long as overnight.
- You can grill or sauté the thighs, using medium heat. Cook 4-6 minutes on both sides, until golden brown. Add more salt to taste if desired.
Data source: American Chicken Council, Earth Policy Institute
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