Use thighs and brine for moist roast chicken

The curse of roasted chicken – especially when you are working with parts rather than a whole bird – is how easily is dries out. A few too many minutes in the oven can be all it takes to go from juicy to chewy.

So we decided to create a roasted chicken recipe that all but guarantees moist, tender results, even if we get distracted a bit during cooking. We wanted a recipe that was both convenient and forgiving.

So we did two things. First, we opted for bone-in thighs with the skin removed. Thighs by definition are moist and tender, and are particularly good at resisting overcooking. Bone-in cuts tends to have more flavor and more moisture, but you certainly could use boneless thighs. Just reduce the cooking time slightly.

Step two is a salt water bath. Not only does brining the chicken help keep it moist in the dry heat of a roast, it also is a good opportunity to add flavor. We season it with black pepper, thyme, rosemary, savory and garlic, but you could use whatever combination of fresh or dried herbs and seasonings you prefer.

Following the brine, we coat the chicken with chopped walnuts and coarse panko breadcrumbs. The result is chicken that is lightly crunchy on the outside, but moist and tender at the center.