Sweet And Savory: Maple Ginger Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 shallot
• finely sliced
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup dark pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon finely grated
• peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• plus four sprigs
• divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• 3 medium pears or apples
• peeled
• cored and quartered

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk shallot, cider, syrup, ginger, vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. Place chicken in a large resealable bag.
3. Pour marinade into bag, seal it, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning once or twice to agitate marinade and coat all pieces.
4. Preheat oven to 400F.
5. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange pieces, skin side up, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
6. Tuck pears and thyme sprigs among chicken pieces.
7. Pour marinade over top.
8. Bake, basting occasionally, about 1 hour, until chicken is cooked through and starting to pull from the bone.
9. Serve chicken and pears with sauce spooned over top.