Hot Honey Chicken with Fried Bread and Bitter Greens

INGREDIENTS

1 garlic clove, finely grated

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided

4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Kosher salt

¼ cup honey

1 small red chile, thinly sliced into rounds

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 ½"-thick slices of bread

2 small endive, leaves separated

Preheat oven to 450°. Mix garlic and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a medium bowl to combine. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place in bowl. Season with salt and toss to coat. Let chicken marinate at room temperature at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring honey and chile to a bare simmer in a small skillet over medium-low. Let hot honey cool.

Drizzle oil into a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, and place chicken thighs, skin side down, inside. Set over medium-high heat and cook until skin is golden brown underneath, 8–10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake chicken until cooked all the way through, 16–20 minutes. Pull chicken out of the oven and move to a plate. Save those pan juices in the skillet, though.

Place skillet with juices over medium heat and add bread. Fry bread until nicely toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. (You’re essentially making a large chicken fat–doused crouton here.) Transfer bread to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Toss endive in a medium bowl with remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and a drizzle of fat from skillet (if the pan is scorched or the drippings are all gone, use olive oil instead), season with salt, and toss to coat.

Tear the bread in half and poke it with a paring knife to create a few holes (this will help the bread soak up the chicken juices). Arrange on plates and top with chicken thighs. Scatter endive leaves around and drizzle some of the hot honey over the chicken (and the endive if you want).