Roasted chicken thighs with caramelized lemon peels

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 1 kg)
• 1 tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• Squeezed halves of two lemons

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C.
2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper.
3. Heat a large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin side down, and arrange the lemon halves, cut side down, around them. Cook until the chicken skin is golden brown, 12–14 minutes. The lemon halves should be crispy, but if they start to brown completely, lift them out and place them on top of the chicken while it cooks.
4. Lift each lemon halves, brush the cut sides with maple syrup, and return them to the pan, cut-side down. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the chicken is almost cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Turn the thighs skin-side up and continue baking until cooked through, another 5 minutes. Serve the chicken basted with the pan juices.