Well isn’t this a red banner week – 2 new recipes on the blog, it’s like a miracle or something! This is what happens when I actually have a break from writing a book manuscript and can record what I make for dinner!

So last week D’artagnan sent me the most generous boxes of delicious meats including a duck leg, duck fat, chicken legs, and duck bacon. Oh yes, you read that right… DUCK. BACON. I had never even heard of it before and then it fortuitously showed up in my Instagram feed and one fateful friendship later, I had a duck blt that would literally blow your mind. They also sent me these giant skin on chicken legs that begged me to do something delicious with them.

But here’s the thing, and I’m pretty sure I’m about to lose some friends here, but I don’t typically eat dark meat. Not from a chicken, not from a turkey, not from any bird if I had my choice. But I knew they could be incredibly awesome if I just figured out the ideal prep. So I did a little poking around and in the end I made them really simply. I used everyday seasonings that I know you’ve already got in your spice rack and I added a little fat to make sure that I nailed some extra crispy skin. Because if you’re gonna eat the skin, you gotta do it right!

We ended up with chicken that every child raved about – so much so that I might become a dark meat making machine. Who ever thought it!?

Ingredients:

• 4 skin on chicken legs
• Garlic sea salt to taste (I seasoned liberally)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (OMIT for AIP)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (OMIT for AIP)
• 4 tablespoons ghee (you can sub other fat for AIP if you do not tolerate)

1. Preheat your oven to 400
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
3. Distribute the seasonings over the 4 legs
4. Drizzle the ghee over the seasonings, 1 tablespoon per leg
5. Bake for 40 minutes at 400 then reduce your oven temp to 300 and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes more
6. Remove and serve
7. Tip: there will be crispy deliciousness left behind on your baking sheet. Don’t tell anyone else how tasty it is or you’ll have to share it!