If you grow your own basil as I do, you know you need to regularly trim the plant to keep it bushy and vibrant. That means you need to cook with basil a lot - too bad! Here's a great way to dispatch some of that fragrant basil.
4 bone-in chicken thighs
2 bone-in chicken breasts
1 pint hot and sweet pickled red cherry peppers, halved
Pistachio Pesto
1/3 cup shelled, roasted pistachios
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 cup, packed, fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red
pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Pat chicken pieces dry on their skin side. Salt generously. Preheat oven to 375F.
In a small food processor, prepare the pistachio pesto. Pulse together the pistachios and the garlic until you have a coarse meal. Add the basil and pulse until the basil is incorporated. Add the oil, red pepper flakes and the salt and blend until well mixed.
Heat a cast iron or other oven-going skillet. Add a good dash of olive oil and heat just until smoking. Swirl pan and place chicken pieces, skin side down, into skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CHICKEN, until the skin side turns golden brown and does not stick to the skillet. Check carefully with tongs after 8-10 minutes. Continue cooking another minute or two if not yet golden brown.
Flip the chicken and evenly distribute the pesto on all of the pieces. Scatter the pepper pieces about the chicken. Bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, until the inner temperature of the chicken reaches 155-160F as measured with a digital instant read thermometer. Remove chicken from the oven and all ow it to rest - it should continue to cook and reach 165F in 5-10 minutes.
Serves 4.
Cook's Notes: Growing your own basil in a pot is a much more economical way to use basil - you can use just as much or little as you want, and its always on hand. I have a pot of basil that I put on our back dech when it's nice outside, and transition indoors if its too windy or cold. I highly recommend it.
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