Honey-Garlic Glazed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Vegetables

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Position racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Mince the 6 garlic cloves and grate the 1 tbsp of ginger.

Wash and quarter the 1 lb of potatoes. Peel and chop the 3 carrots into 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and carrots with 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.

Spread the potatoes and carrots in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place on the lower-middle oven rack and roast for 20 minutes to give them a head start.

While the root vegetables roast, prepare the chicken. Pat the 4 chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels – this is crucial for crispy skin. Season all sides generously with the remaining 1 tsp of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, 12-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear for 6-8 minutes without moving them, allowing the skin to become deeply golden-brown and crisp.

Flip the chicken thighs and cook for another 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate. Carefully pour off all but 1 tbsp of the rendered fat from the skillet.

Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and sauté for 30-60 seconds until highly fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.

To create the glaze, pour in the 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 2 tbsp of rice vinegar to deglaze, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a whisk or wooden spoon. Whisk in the 1/3 cup of honey and bring to a simmer. Let it bubble gently for 1-2 minutes to thicken slightly.

Stir in the 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil, then return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up. Nestle them into the glaze.

While the sauce was simmering, chop the 1 head of broccoli into bite-sized florets. Remove the vegetable baking sheet from the oven, add the broccoli florets, and toss everything together on the hot pan.

Place the skillet with the chicken on the upper-middle oven rack and return the baking sheet with all the vegetables to the lower-middle rack.

Roast for 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, avoiding bone, reads 165°F / 74°C) and the vegetables are tender and caramelized at the edges.

Let the chicken rest in the skillet for 5 minutes. The glaze will continue to thicken. Serve one chicken thigh per person with a generous portion of the roasted vegetables. Spoon extra glaze from the pan over the chicken and garnish with 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and 2 tbsp fresh parsley.