Roast-Thigh Chicken Salad

Nose-to-tail — four thighs roasted over veg, the meat shredded for salad, the skin & bones simmered into pho

4 thighs · 20 min

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The roast
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs · salt · pepper · olive oil
a bed of veg: 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs (chunked), a few garlic cloves, thyme/bay
The chicken salad
the shredded roast meat (~2–3 cups)
1 cucumber, diced (salt & drain — see method)
1–2 carrots, grated or matchsticked — fresh, for crunch
2 scallions, sliced · herbs (dill, parsley, or cilantro)
dressing — creamy or bright, see "riff the dressing" · salt · pepper · lemon
Into the stock pot (→ Pho-Light Stock)
the roast skin, bones & the roasted veg + water, ginger, onion, star anise

Roast the thighs over veg. Scatter the chunked onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and herbs in a pan; lay the thighs skin-side up on top, rub with oil, and salt and pepper them well. Roast at 425°F, 35–40 min, until the skin is crisp and the meat pulls easily (185°F). Rest 10 min.
Pull, shred, and split the pan. Pull the meat off the bones and shred it — that's your salad. Set the skin, bones, and the roasted veg aside for the pot.
Start the stock (nothing wasted). Tip the skin, bones, and roasted veg into a pot, cover with water, and add ginger, a charred onion half, and star anise for a pho-light broth; simmer while you make the salad. The roasted bones give it a deep, golden head start.
Salt & drain the cucumber. Dice the cucumber, toss with a pinch of salt, and let it sit 10 min; blot it dry. Skip this and it weeps water into the salad and dilutes the dressing.
Toss the salad. Combine the shredded chicken, drained cucumber, fresh grated carrot, scallions, and herbs with your dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon; taste and adjust. Chill 20 min if you can — it firms up and the flavors marry.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Roast the thighs over veg. Scatter the chunked onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and herbs in a pan; lay the thighs skin-side up on top, rub with oil, and salt and pepper them well. Roast at 425°F, 35–40 min, until the skin is crisp and the meat pulls easily (185°F). Rest 10 min.

2. Pull, shred, and split the pan. Pull the meat off the bones and shred it — that's your salad. Set the skin, bones, and the roasted veg aside for the pot.

3. Start the stock (nothing wasted). Tip the skin, bones, and roasted veg into a pot, cover with water, and add ginger, a charred onion half, and star anise for a pho-light broth; simmer while you make the salad. The roasted bones give it a deep, golden head start.

4. Salt & drain the cucumber. Dice the cucumber, toss with a pinch of salt, and let it sit 10 min; blot it dry. Skip this and it weeps water into the salad and dilutes the dressing.

5. Toss the salad. Combine the shredded chicken, drained cucumber, fresh grated carrot, scallions, and herbs with your dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon; taste and adjust. Chill 20 min if you can — it firms up and the flavors marry.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.