Chicken Escabèche

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• chopped
• 1 medium carrot
• peeled
• chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2/3 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 4 chicken legs
• thighs and drumsticks separated
• patted dry
• 1 serrano chile
• very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 3/4 cup mint leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. 2

   Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add 1/3 cup oil, followed by onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent but hasn’t taken on any color, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add bay leaf, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water and bring mixture to a boil.

5. 5

   Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.

6. 6

   Remove marinade from heat; season with salt and pepper.

7. 7

   Season chicken generously all over with salt and pepper.

8. 8

   Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high.

9. 9

   Working in batches if needed, cook chicken, skin side down, in a single layer until skin is well browned and very crisp, 8–12 minutes.

10. 10

    Turn pieces over and cook on the other side 1 minute (if cooking in batches, transfer pieces to a plate as they’re done).

11. 11

    Chicken will not yet be cooked through.

12. 12

    Return chicken to pot, arranging skin side up and nestling pieces side by side to form as even a layer as possible.

13. 13

    Pour in marinade (meat should be mostly submerged, but you want the skin still exposed).

14. 14

    Scatter chile and raisins over top.

15. 15

    Transfer pot to oven and bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 10–15 minutes (an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh should register 165°F).