Chef notes

Spring is all about easy, fast dishes that taste like they took all day to make. I love using marinades to double flavor in proteins and keep kitchen clutter to a minimum. I also love to grill and spring is the perfect time for that.

Ingredients

Mojito Marinade

4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves
2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for cooking
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon lime zest
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup spiced rum, such as Captain Morgan's

Mojito Glaze (makes about 1/2 cup)

2 cloves roasted garlic
1/4 cup spiced rum, such as Captain Morgan's
1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Spring Salad

3 small cucumbers, cut in half, lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 firm avocado, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup mixed tender herbs (basil, dill, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

For the mojito marinade:

In a large, environmentally-friendly, airtight container, combine all ingredients for the mojito marinade and the chicken thighs, cover the container and shake to coat the chicken. Then, place the container in the fridge and marinade for 1 hour (any longer may result in the chicken starting to cook in the marinade).

For the mojito glaze:

In a small bowl, combine the roasted garlic, rum, lime juice, honey and mint. Set aside.

To cook:

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Before adding the chicken to the pan, use a paper towel to thoroughly pat the skin dry. When the skin is moist or wet, it's more likely to stick to the pan and therefore won't crisp up well.

Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it get hot — really hot, just before smoking. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and let them do their thing. This is the crucial step where the skin picks up its beautiful crispy texture. The secret to success is searing the thighs undisturbed until the skin is well-browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Try not to lift, or otherwise check the browning skin, until completely browned. For best searing results, you may need to adjust the placement of the chicken in the skillet to ensure even browning on all sides of the skin.

With tongs, flip the chicken skin-side up and carefully transfer the skillet to the oven, roast for 15 to 20 minutes until it's done (it should register as 165 F in the thickest part of the chicken, not touching the bone).

Remove the chicken from the oven and lightly cover the skillet with foil and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.

For the spring salad:

Arrange the vegetables on a serving platter and season lightly with salt and pepper.

To serve:

Serve chicken on top of the spring salad. Drizzle the mojito glaze over the entire dish and enjoy!