Chicken with Schmaltzy Rice and Kale

Step 1

Place rice in a strainer or sieve and rinse, swishing around with your hands, until water from rice runs clear; drain well. Bring rice, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan to a simmer over medium-high. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and cook rice until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Let rice sit 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 425°. Season chicken legs generously with salt. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is golden brown and well on its way to being crispy (try weighing it down with another heavy skillet for maximum crispiness), 7–9 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven (leaving chicken legs skin side down and with weight on top if you’re using one) and roast chicken legs until deeply browned and very crispy, 8–10 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up (remove weight) and continue to roast until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of legs should register 165°), about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a wire rack, arranging skin side up. Reserve skillet (wrap a kitchen towel around the handle so you don’t forget it’s really hot and burn your hand).

Step 3

Bring scallions and remaining ¼ cup oil to an aggressive boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and immediately transfer scallion oil to a small bowl; season with salt. Let cool.

Step 4

Heat reserved skillet over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add kale a handful at a time, letting it wilt before adding more. Add broth and cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, until kale is softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until liquid evaporates and rice is warm and beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Step 5

Transfer rice mixture to a platter and arrange chicken on top. Serve scallion oil alongside.