Red-Hot Chicken and Peppers

Name: Red-Hot Chicken and Peppers
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained; 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained (reserving 1 teaspoon brine) and sliced; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Goya; 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; 4 small chicken legs (about 2 ¼ pounds total); 2 cups watercress, tough stems removed; 1 lemon, cut into wedges; Toasted flatbread, for serving

By

Martha Stewart Editors

Updated on June 2, 2020

red-hot-chicken-chickpeas-103242165 — Photo: Sidney Bensimon

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Servings:

4

A mixture of hot sauce, smoked paprika, and roasted red-pepper brine turns up the volume on chicken legs. They're roasted on a bed of chickpeas and peppers and served with lemony watercress and toasted flatbread.

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained (reserving 1 teaspoon brine) and sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Goya
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 small chicken legs (about 2 ¼ pounds total)
2 cups watercress, tough stems removed
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Toasted flatbread, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in upper third. Scatter chickpeas and peppers in the bottom of a shallow, broilerproof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stir together butter, hot sauce, paprika, and pepper brine. Season with salt. Place chicken on top of chickpea mixture and brush both sides with all of butter mixture; season with salt and pepper. Roast, skin-side up, until chicken begins to brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest parts (not touching bones) reads 160 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes.
Switch oven to broil. Brush chicken with pan drippings and broil until skin is charred in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly dress watercress with squeezed lemon and pan drippings. Serve chicken-chickpea mixture with watercress, flatbread, and lemon.