Crispy Chicken Thighs

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Lay out the chicken thighs and pat dry each one with a few pieces of paper towel. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add in the panko, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the panko is golden brown. Transfer the panko into a shallow dish or square baking pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the Parmesan.

Meanwhile, in a separate shallow dish or square baking pan, whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise and Dijon with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dunk into the egg mixture, being sure to coat the entire surface, then press into the panko-Parmesan mixture to coat and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

At this point, you can cook the chicken or cover lightly with plastic and place the full baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours to freeze. Once the chicken is frozen, transfer to a heavy-duty freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To cook the chicken from fresh, heat your oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Arrange the chicken on the pan, leaving a few inches between each, and bake until cooked through, 20 minutes. From frozen, cook the chicken at 375 degrees F on a greased or parchment-lined sheet pan until cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve the chicken with Mary’s Garlicky Greens aka Guest Greens, if desired.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Half fill a large bowl with ice and top with cold water and set aside. Season the boiling water very well with salt and cook the peas and sugar snap peas just until bright green and cooked but still crisp. Using a fine-mesh sieve, drain the peas then, keeping the veg in the sieve, transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Place a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to melt followed by the garlic. Drain the peas and snap peas and add to the skillet, then stir in the mustard and lemon zest. Add in the spinach and toss to wilt. Season with salt and pepper and cook just to heat.

Serve immediately. For a bit of extra brightness, cut the lemon into wedges to serve alongside (you don’t want to squeeze lemon juice over the greens too early as that can cause browning).