FINALLY - dinner in less than an hour!

those of you who have cooked with me, or had dinner with me on a friday night, know that i am generally incapable of making dinner in less than an hour. in fact, usually i choose whatever preparation is most involved. well, not "most involved" in a fussy way - i just like to make sure that there is sufficient layers of flavor built up so that something simple can perform to its highest potential in your mouth. (take bolognese, for example: it's basically carrots, celery, onions, beef, pork, and tomatoes, but if you caramelize the vegetables properly before adding the tomatoes and then the meat, your sauce will taste that much better.)

so it is with great joy and satisfaction that i present to you a recipe that is delicious and doesn't take forever. this is based on the mustard-baked chicken thigh recipe from serious eats' eat for eight bucks column, and is essentially chicken thighs marinated, then seared, and finished in the oven. the time that the chicken takes in the oven also allows you to roast some sort of not-too-dense vegetable - i used asparagus in an attempt to use what i had on hand, and be a little healthy, but you can use whatever you like (ie, a thinnish layer of potato wedges). just make sure that the layer of vegetables will cook in about 15 minutes at high heat.

you can really adapt the marinade, the vegetables, and the sauce however you like, in terms of ingredients, but the preparation remains the same - much easier to put together than most things that i make! the only thing is that you must marinate the chicken ahead of time - the night before, really, but it takes about five minutes, so you can do it before you go to bed. the next day, your cooking time will be about 30-35 minutes, start to finish. really! i am being completely serious.

chicken in less than an hour

2T cider vinegar

3T maple syrup

1 1/2T olive oil

1 1/2T whole grain mustard

salt + pepper

4-5 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on (1.5 lb)

1/2T vegetable oil

1/2T olive oil

1 bunch asparagus

1-2 large shallots or 1 small onion

1c chicken stock or 1/2c white wine

1 bay leaf or sprig of other fresh herb you have on hand

1. marinate the chicken the night before (or for at least an hour): in a cereal bowl-sized bowl, mix together the cider vinegar, maple syrup, 1 1/2T olive oil, and mustard. pat the chicken thighs dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. dip each chicken thigh in the marinade and place in a gallon ziplock bag. pour excess marinade in the bag and seal it shut, making sure to squeeze the air out. refrigerate the chicken overnight, or at least an hour.

2. preheat the oven to 400F. heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. open the bag of chicken and transfer the thighs to the pan, skin side down, shaking off excess marinade. reserve the extra marinade. if you have a splatter screen, put it over the skillet - the chicken thighs will sizzle. cook 6-10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. flip over with a pair of tongs and let cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned.

3. meanwhile, prep whatever vegetable you have on hand, and toss it with the olive oil in a 9x9 glass baking dish. when the chicken is finished searing, turn the stove off and transfer the chicken to the baking dish, skin side up. bake the chicken for about 15 minutes, until it reaches 150-160F on a digital thermometer (smaller chicken thighs will take closer to 10 minutes).

4. while the chicken is finishing in the oven, pour off all the fat in the skillet except 1/2T; turn heat to medium. dice the shallots and saute with the bay leaf until translucent, 3-4 minutes. add the chicken stock and turn heat to medium-high to bring the liquid to a boil, scraping the pan to release browned bits. add the excess marinade and let the sauce reduce until it's syrupy.

5. when the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest while the sauce reduces. when the sauce is done, plate the chicken and vegetables and spoon the sauce over it.

[serves 4]