4 skin-on chicken leg quarters
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
pepper, to taste
10 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaf, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 bunches rainbow swiss chard
½ cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon whole allspice
2 bay leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
2 teaspoons coriander seed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 large yellow onion, chopped
¼ cup lemon juice
2 cups israeli couscous
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons caper
4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, fresh, for serving
fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
In a large bowl, season the chicken legs with salt, pepper, 5 cloves of minced garlic, the thyme, rosemary, oregano, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to fully coat the chicken, then cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Prepare the Swiss chard. Cut out the thick stems. Stack the leaves, roll up, then thinly slice into ribbons. Slice the roll in half. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Slice the chard stems on the bias. Transfer to a medium glass or nonreactive metal bowl and set aside. In a large skillet, combine the sugar, 1 tablespoon of salt, the cinnamon stick, cloves, mustard seeds, allspice, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and red pepper flakes. Add the white wine vinegar and water, and stir well. Heat the pan over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Place a strainer over the bowl of sliced chard stems. Pour the boiling pickling liquid over the stems and discard the solids. Let the stems pickle until the liquid has cooled and the stems have softened, about 30 minutes. Wipe out the skillet, then heat over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the oil is shimmering. Sear the chicken, skin-side down, until the skin is dark golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for another 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the onion, remaining 5 cloves of minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, Swiss chard leaves, and couscous. Cook until the greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in the capers and return the chicken to the pan, submerging in the cooking liquid. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the couscous has puffed up and become tender. Remove the pan from the heat. Serve with the pickled chard stems, feta cheese, and parsley.