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Antonia Lofaso and Michael Symon

Spice-Crusted Crispy Chicken Thighs
S34E6 American · 2023
Where to find them
● @chefsymon

Two Iron Chefs walked into Bobby's kitchen on a tag-team episode and walked back out with the round. Antonia Lofaso came up through Wolfgang Puck at Spago and now runs Black Market Liquor Bar in Studio City and Scopa Italian Roots in Venice. Michael Symon has the Cleveland accent, the James Beard medal, the Iron Chef America belt, and an opinion about pork shoulder that he is not afraid to share.

The judges had two Iron Chefs cooking against one. The judges had a chef who built his career on grilling against two chefs who built theirs on, respectively, Italian technique and Eastern European fat. Bobby's home court advantage was the home court. It was not enough.

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Spice-Crusted Crispy Chicken Thighs

25 min Prep
35 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6-8 oz each)
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup Spanish chorizo, sliced into coins (4 oz)
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, torn into strips
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
Instructions
  1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Combine kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Season chicken thighs evenly on both sides with the spice mixture, pressing gently so it adheres.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes). Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and sear for 6-7 minutes until skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook another 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
  3. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Add chorizo coins and cook for 2 minutes until edges begin to crisp. Add onion pieces and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions soften slightly. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour in chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release browned bits. Return chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side up, nestling them into the chorizo and onion mixture.
  5. Transfer skillet to a 425°F oven and braise for 18-20 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh.
  6. Remove from oven. Arrange roasted red pepper strips over and around the chicken. Drizzle with sherry vinegar. Top with fresh cilantro and serve directly from the skillet.
Inspired by Antonia Lofaso and Michael Symon’s winning spice-crusted crispy chicken thighs. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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