Caesar Chicken Thighs with Broccoli

Chef notes

It’s hard to beat a classic Caesar salad, but why should romaine lettuce have all the fun? Rich, creamy Caesar dressing can upgrade all sorts of dishes — including your next chicken dinner. 

Drizzle the umami-rich combo of oil, eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon and anchovies over bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to add deep flavor and to help the meat brown beautifully. And you don’t even need to make your own dressing. Bottled Caesar works wonderfully and is so much easier. 

After browning the chicken, add peeled, finely chopped broccoli stalks to the skillet and sauté them in the chicken drippings. Many cooks throw the stalks away, but they require just a little prep to make them a prime ingredient. Trim off any woody bits and peel the stems until the darker green skin appears, then finely chop and cook as you would onions.

Once the stems soften, toss the broccoli florets in the drippings, pour on some Caesar dressing and toss again. Nestle the chicken on top of the broccoli, then drizzle the meat with more dressing. As the dish cooks, the dressing mixes and mingles with the chicken juices, creating a delicious sauce that coats the broccoli. After 15 minutes in the oven, dinner’s done! 

Finish things off with a healthy grind of black pepper, some lemon zest and a fun addition — crunchy Parmesan crisps, which are a nod to Caesar salad. Serve with crusty bread for sopping up the sauce in the bottom of the skillet. 

Technique Tip: It’s tempting to keep peeking to see if the chicken skin is browned, but let it be. You’ll know it’s ready when the skin naturally releases from the pan. 

Swap Option: You can use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in this recipe, but note that the cook time will vary depending on the size of the meat. And feel free to play around with the veggies. Cauliflower would be delicious in place of the broccoli, as would Brussels sprouts. Go for small sprouts or cut larger ones into quarters to help them cook more quickly.