Crispy Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Buttery Parsley Spaghetti and Roasted Green Beans

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Prepare the vegetables: Wash 1 lb of green beans and trim the tough stem ends. Peel and mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 large shallot. Finely chop 0.5 cup of fresh parsley. Zest 1 lemon and then juice both lemons into a small bowl.

Pat 4 chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels (this is the secret to crispy skin). Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin-side down. Sear undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. Flip the chicken over.

Transfer the skillet containing the chicken into the preheated oven. On a separate rimmed baking sheet, toss the trimmed green beans with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Place the beans in the oven alongside the chicken. Roast both for 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the beans are tender and slightly charred.

While the chicken roasts, prepare the 'Perfect Pasta Water': Fill a large pot with 5 quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add 2 tbsp of salt (the water should taste like the sea).

Add 1 lb of spaghetti to the boiling water. Stir immediately for the first 30-60 seconds to prevent the strands from sticking together. Cook for 8-9 minutes, or until 1-2 minutes shy of the package's 'al dente' instructions.

CRITICAL STEP: Before draining the pasta, carefully scoop out and reserve 1.5 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti in a colander; do not rinse it.

Once the chicken is done, remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest. Place the same skillet (use an oven mitt as the handle is hot!) back on the stovetop over medium heat. There should be about 2-3 tbsp of chicken fat in the pan; if there is more, spoon some out.

Add the minced shallot to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 more minute until fragrant but not burnt.

Pour the lemon juice into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.

Add 4 tbsp of butter and 0.5 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Whisk until the butter melts and the sauce looks slightly thickened and glossy.

Add the cooked spaghetti, the chopped parsley, and the lemon zest to the skillet. Toss vigorously with tongs for 1-2 minutes, adding more pasta water 1/4 cup at a time if the sauce seems too dry, until the sauce coats every strand of pasta beautifully.

Taste the pasta and add a final pinch of salt or pepper if needed. Serve the buttery parsley spaghetti alongside the crispy chicken thighs and roasted green beans.