Garam masala baked chicken thighs are optimized for deliciousness

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Given my profession as a food writer, people are sometimes shocked when they learn I studied engineering in college. My undergraduate degree is in systems engineering with a focus on operations research, which has a lot to do with optimization. With that context, my path to developing recipes should make more sense: My goal with many of my recipes is to make them as efficient as possible in terms of both ingredients and process. Minimum effort, maximum reward. Today’s recipe for garam masala baked chicken thighs with pears is a prime example.

It’s a riff on a personal and reader favorite, my Baked Chicken Thighs With Butter and Onions. That dish relied on a homemade spice blend of black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, cumin and paprika to season chicken thighs, which are then baked with butter and diced onions until browned and juicy. In this recipe, I rely on garam masala, homemade or store bought, to add warm flavor fitting for fall.

As with many spice blends, the exact concoction of garam masala varies from cook to cook (and brand to brand), but some of the ingredients it might include are bay leaves, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and cumin. The beauty of such blends is that they can be a fast track to a world of flavor in a single jar, saving you from the trouble of adding each individual component one at a time.

Baking or roasting chicken thighs is my go-to move whenever I want a hands-off protein that I know will turn out succulent and juicy. In this recipe, the seasoned thighs are placed atop a bed of pears and onions before heading into the oven. I love this technique of baking chicken on top of stuff so that the juices and rendered fat flavor whatever is underneath. Chicken thighs work particularly well here when cooked to an internal temperature of at least 175 degrees – and even better 10 or 20 degrees higher – to dissolve their connective tissue. The onion and pears absorb all the juicy goodness that comes off the thighs and almost confit in the rendered poultry fat, infusing them with flavor.

Before serving, the entire skillet gets drizzled with pomegranate molasses, which leads to another one of my recipe principles: Dishes should hit on at least two flavor notes to make them as enticing as possible.

This dish already has warmth from the garam masala, the savory chicken and onions, and a touch of sweetness from the pears. A finishing touch of sweet-tart pomegranate molasses rounds it out for a delicious symphony of flavors. (Salt and acid bring their own tastes to the table, but they also can work to enhance the others already in a dish. This is why so many desserts are finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and savory dishes often call for a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving.)

A few minutes of knife work, a humble cast-iron skillet, a handy seasoning blend and a flavor-enhancing finishing touch make this recipe a new personal favorite – and one that I think you will love, too.

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Garam Masala Baked Chicken Thighs With Pears

Active time: 10 mins. Total time: 45 mins

Serves 4

Garam masala infuses warm flavor into this dish of chicken thighs baked atop pears and red onions. Cooking dark-meat chicken to 185 degrees, above the minimum safe internal temperature of 165 degrees, makes it wonderfully juicy and tender. A drizzle of sweet-tart pomegranate molasses before serving brightens the entire skillet meal.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

INGREDIENTS

2 large Bosc pears (1 1/4 pounds total), halved, cored and sliced

1 jumbo red onion (14 ounces), halved and sliced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons homemade or store-bought garam masala

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)

Pomegranate molasses, for serving

Crusty bread, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet (or similar-size baking dish), toss together the pears, onion and oil. In a small bowl, whisk together the garam masala, salt and pepper until combined. Place the chicken thighs atop the pear mixture, and sprinkle both sides with the garam masala mixture, finishing with the chicken pieces skin side up.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is nicely browned and reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses, and serve warm with bread for dipping into the juices.

Substitutions:

For bosc pears, other types of pear or apples can be used.

For red onion, you can substitute other types of onion, or shallots.

Instead of chicken thighs, you can use chicken legs or quarters. For breasts, adjust the cooking time and roast until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part away from the bone.

For pomegranate molasses, you can use a mix of honey or maple syrup with vinegar or lemon juice.

Nutritional Facts per serving (1 chicken thigh plus 1/2 cup of the pear mixture) | Calories: 666; Fat: 44 g; Saturated Fat: 13 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Sodium: 585 mg; Cholesterol: 200 mg; Protein: 36 g; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 19 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

From staff writer Aaron Hutcherson.