Roasted Chicken and Zucchini With Caper-Basil Vinaigrette
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/5e1c93f1-587c-4086-b987-81cd057692ad
Original source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/783448045-roasted-chicken-and-zucchini-with-caper-basil-vinaigrette?smid=nytcore-ios-share

In this simple recipe, thinly sliced zucchini sits under whole chicken legs as everything roasts, soaking up the juices like little sponges and turning sweet and jammy. For best results, use smaller zucchini rather than large ones, which tend to be watery. A mandoline makes short work of the slicing, but a sharp knife and some patience also do the trick — just make sure to slice the zucchini very thinly so they turn soft and melty as they roast. A caper, shallot and basil vinaigrette spooned over at the end cuts through the richness. White balsamic vinegar is less punchy and more balanced than other white vinegars, but if you can't find it, use the same amount of rice vinegar mixed with 1½ teaspoons sugar. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: PT0H20M
Cook time: PT1H20M
Total time: PT1H40M

Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (3 to 6) zucchini or yellow summer squash (or a combination), very thinly sliced
- 2 large shallots, very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 8 fresh oregano sprigs
- 10 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, roughly crushed
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo chile flakes (or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 whole chicken legs (about 3 ¾ pounds)
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar (or the same amount of rice vinegar mixed with 1½ teaspoons sugar)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot, very thinly sliced (1 cup loosely packed)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ⅓ cup capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Prepare the chicken: Add the zucchini, shallots, garlic, oregano sprigs, anchovies, fennel seeds, chile flakes and 3 tablespoons of the oil to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet or 12-by-16-inch roasting pan. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper and give everything a good mix. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until the zucchini and shallots have softened and started to color around the edges.
3. Rub the chicken all over with the remaining tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Remove the pan from the oven and give the zucchini slices a gentle stir, then nestle the chicken legs in amongst them. Return to the oven for another 45 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the zucchini is completely soft, jammy and charred in places. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, mix together the vinegar, oil, shallots, garlic, capers, oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt and some more pepper. When ready to serve, fold the basil into the vinaigrette and spoon some over each chicken leg, then drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of the liquid portion of the vinaigrette over the zucchini, leaving the rest in the bowl to serve alongside.