# Crispy Chicken Thighs with Summer Squash, Black Cherry Tomatoes & Duck Fat Potatoes > Golden, crackly chicken skin meets juicy summer squash and sweet black cherry tomatoes, with duck-fat-roasted potatoes underneath to catch the pan juices. Thyme, basil, and a little lemon keep this late-summer Shabbat dinner bright without getting in the way of the chicken. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/crispy-skin-chicken-thighs-over-summer-squash-black-cherry-tomatoes-with-duck-fa - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-08-08 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Crispy Chicken Thighs with Summer Squash, Black Cherry Tomatoes & Duck Fat Potatoes](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fdd16eb1030b6046a.jpg) ## Crispy Skin-On Chicken Thighs A patient skin-side sear renders the fat and builds a crisp crust. Finishing skin-side up in the oven cooks the thighs evenly without steaming the skin. ### Ingredients - 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2½ pounds total - 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1 tablespoon ghee ### Instructions 1. Pat the chicken very dry and trim any loose flaps of excess skin. Season with salt and pepper, concentrating the pepper on the flesh side. If time allows, refrigerate uncovered overnight; otherwise season while preparing the potatoes. 2. Heat the oven to 425°F. Heat ghee in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the thighs skin-side down, leaving space between them; use two skillets or work in batches if necessary. 3. Press lightly with a spatula for the first minute so the skin makes full contact. Cook skin-side down for 10–14 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain steady sizzling without scorching, until the skin is deeply golden and releases readily. 4. Turn the thighs skin-side up. Pour off excess fat into a heatproof container, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15–25 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 175–185°F without touching bone. 5. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate and rest uncovered for 5–10 minutes. Reserve the skillet and its browned bits for the vegetables; keep the skin uncovered so it stays crisp. ### Notes - Chicken is safe at 165°F, but thighs become more tender at 175–185°F. - If using two skillets, consolidate the chicken onto a preheated sheet pan for the oven finish and reserve the less-dark skillet for the vegetables. ## Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes Parboiling roughens the potato edges so duck fat can turn them crisp and deeply browned. Their fluffy centers absorb the tomato and chicken juices at the table. ### Ingredients - 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1¼-inch chunks - 3 tablespoons duck fat - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for the boiling water - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a heavy rimmed baking sheet inside. 2. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and salt the water generously. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 7–9 minutes, until the outer edges soften but the centers remain firm. 3. Drain thoroughly and let steam-dry for 3 minutes. Shake gently in the saucepan to roughen the edges. 4. Toss with the duck fat, salt, and pepper. Carefully spread over the hot baking sheet in a single layer with a flat side down. 5. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning after about 25 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp outside and tender inside. Taste and adjust the salt. ### Notes - Keep the potatoes spread out; crowding traps steam and prevents crisp edges. ## Summer Squash & Black Cherry Tomatoes with Herb Pan Juices Browning the squash before adding liquid keeps it from turning watery. The tomatoes soften into the chicken fond, making a light, savory jus with very little additional work. ### Ingredients - 1½ pounds mixed zucchini and yellow summer squash, cut into ½-inch-thick half-moons or irregular chunks - 1 pint black cherry tomatoes, left whole - 1 tablespoon ghee - 3 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 5 sprigs fresh thyme - ⅓ cup unsalted gluten-free chicken broth - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste - ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. After removing the chicken, carefully place its hot skillet over medium-high heat. Retain about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat and the brown, not black, fond. Add the ghee. 2. Pat the squash dry. Add it in a roomy layer, working in batches if needed, and season with salt and pepper. Sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes, until browned in spots but still firm. 3. Return all the squash to the skillet. Add the tomatoes, scallion whites, and thyme. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring gently, until the tomatoes begin to wrinkle and split. 4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the squash is just tender and the juices are glossy but still loose. 5. Add any accumulated resting juices from the chicken. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, scallion greens, and most of the basil. Taste for salt and acidity; reserve the remaining basil for serving. ### Notes - If the chicken fond is black or bitter, wipe out the skillet and use a clean pan rather than incorporating it. - Use an extra splash of broth if the pan becomes dry; reduce briefly if the vegetables release enough liquid to make the juices watery. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The potatoes get a head start while the chicken sears. The vegetables cook in the chicken skillet during its rest, so the meal comes together hot with minimal extra equipment. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven and potato baking sheet to 425°F. Season the chicken, cut the potatoes, and begin parboiling them. 2. 0:15 — Drain, steam-dry, and roughen the potatoes; toss with duck fat and put them in the oven. 3. 0:20 — Begin searing the chicken. While it cooks, cut the squash and prepare the tomatoes, herbs, scallions, and garlic. 4. 0:35 — Transfer the chicken to the oven skin-side up. Turn the potatoes when their undersides are browned. 5. 0:50 — Begin checking chicken temperature and potato tenderness. Remove each when ready; leave finished potatoes on their tray uncovered. 6. 0:50–1:05 — Rest the chicken and cook the squash and tomatoes in its skillet. Finish the pan juices, check seasoning, and plate immediately. ### Notes - Allow a few extra minutes if the chicken must be seared in batches. Position the potatoes on the lower-middle rack and the chicken above them, with space for air to circulate. ## Plating Layering puts the potatoes in contact with the flavorful juices while keeping the crisp chicken skin above the moisture. ### Instructions 1. Divide the roasted potatoes among four warm shallow plates. 2. Spoon the squash and tomatoes over and around the potatoes, leaving some browned potato edges exposed. 3. Set one chicken thigh on each plate, skin-side up. Spoon the pan juices around the chicken rather than over its skin. 4. Finish with the reserved basil and serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Separate storage and reheating protect the chicken skin and potatoes from the vegetables' moisture. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate chicken, potatoes, and vegetables with their juices in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days. 2. Reheat the chicken skin-side up and the potatoes on a baking sheet at 400°F until the chicken reaches 165°F, usually 15–25 minutes. Check early and shield any areas that brown too quickly. 3. Warm the vegetables and juices gently in a covered saucepan, adding a splash of water if needed. Serve beneath the reheated chicken. 4. Alternatively, remove the chicken from the bone and fold it into the warmed squash and tomatoes for a quick skillet meal, with the re-crisped potatoes alongside. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.