Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Herb & Garlic Chicken Marylands Recipe
Chicken marylands: such an under-utilised reduce of chicken! Low cost, juicy, flavourful, arduous to stuff up. It’s like roast chicken, with out the mess of carving. Slather in herb & garlic butter, bake till golden, then serve with potato gratin or creamy mash with garlic sautéed inexperienced beans for the right meal!
Chicken maryland is a massively underrated economical reduce of chicken. I inform individuals it’s like roasting up a complete chicken – with out coping with the mess of bones and juices from carving up a complete chicken! A considerable piece of meat with loads of golden pores and skin, juicier* than drumsticks and thighs, and tremendous flavourful.
It’s practically not possible to mess up because you don’t have to fret about exact roasting time to forestall dry, bland breast. As a result of this reduce doesn’t embrace chicken breast! Why aren’t we cooking chicken marylands on a regular basis??!!
* Why it’s juicier – as a result of it’s a bigger single piece of bone-in meat. Which suggests much less juice-escaping-crevices by meat weight = juicier meat.
Because it seems, chicken marylands means various things in numerous nations. Right here in Australia, it refers to a reduce which is a chicken leg with the thigh connected, pictured under. It’s referred to as complete chicken leg quarters within the States and simply chicken legs within the UK. I do know it’s complicated, however not less than the reduce is well identifiable!
Within the States, “Chicken Maryland” or “Maryland Chicken” refers to a dish originating from the state of Maryland comprised of fried chicken with creamy gravy. This instantly received added to my ever-growing Listing of Issues To Make.
Within the UK, “Chicken Maryland” refers to a retro Chinese language fried chicken dish served with a banana fritter, corn fritter and bacon.
This didn’t get added to my Listing of Issues To Make! 😂
PS I put this little desk collectively simply to clear up the confusion in my head. Although it may be helpful to you too. 🙂
| Chicken reduce names | Australia | US | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken maryland (leg + thigh connected – as we speak’s recipe) |
Chicken maryland | Chicken leg quarters | Chicken legs |
| Chicken drumsticks (ie no thigh connected) |
Chicken leg or drumsticks | Chicken leg or drumsticks | Chicken drumsticks |
At the moment, we’re roasting this chicken slathered in a herb and garlic butter. Right here’s what you want for the butter – see above for the photograph and discuss in regards to the chicken marylands!
Herb & garlic butter
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Thyme and rosemary – Contemporary is greatest, for optimum flavour impression. Nevertheless, dried will work in its place.
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Garlic – Contemporary and solely contemporary! Jarred stuff simply doesn’t evaluate – it’s bitter and doesn’t have actual garlic flavour.
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Unsalted butter – I desire utilizing unsalted so I can management the quantity of salt. Nevertheless, in case you solely have salted it’ll work too, simply halve the salt.
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White wine – Serves a triple function: retains the underside of the chicken moist because it roasts, infuses flavour into the flesh, and makes the juices within the roasting pan so tasty it’s like liquid gold. All that flavour from the herb & garlic butter mingling with the chicken juices plus the white wine = sauce perfection!
Substitute with chicken inventory/broth, low sodium or only a splash of water (you’ll find yourself with much less sauce however don’t fear, there’s loads of flavour within the chicken itself!).
This recipe requires the herb & garlic butter to be slathered beneath the pores and skin. Don’t fear, it’s not arduous – entry is simple with this reduce of chicken! Additionally, whereas I’ve used marylands right here, this recipe could be terrific made with bone-in thighs (use 8).
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Combine softened butter with garlic, herbs and salt. Use a garlic press or microplane to finely grate the garlic and make it “juicy” so it mixes by the butter, for higher garlic flavour. (In case you don’t have one, very finely chop it).
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Loosen the pores and skin utilizing a tablespoon. The spoon hugs the curves of the chicken flesh so it gained’t pierce the pores and skin. Entry the pores and skin from the straight fringe of the thigh, as pictured above, and transfer the spoon round to create butter pockets (together with on the drumstick).
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Slather butter beneath the pores and skin. It’s straightforward, I promise – carry pores and skin, stuff butter beneath then unfold by urgent/pushing on the pores and skin. No must be actual right here, the butter melts and runs in every single place anyway. Even in case you unfold a wad within the center that’ll do the trick.
How a lot butter the place – Put about 75% of the butter beneath the pores and skin. Then solely a small quantity (~5% ) on the flesh (underside), then the rest on the pores and skin. Why? As a result of the flesh aspect goes to get tons of flavour from roasting within the wine and the butter/chicken juices run-off. It doesn’t want additional butter assist!
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Roast for 50 minutes – Put the chicken in a baking dish pores and skin aspect up. Pour the wine round then roast for 50 minutes.
Begin off excessive at 220°C/425°F (200°C fan) for 10 minutes to get the pores and skin browning, then on a barely decrease 200°C /400°F (180°C fan) for 40 minutes or till the pores and skin is golden and the chicken is cooked.
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Baste twice on the 30 minute and 40 minute mark (ie spoon pan juices over the chicken pores and skin).
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Relaxation for five minutes earlier than serving, utilizing the juices within the roasting pan because the sauce. That stuff is pure gold!!
Shut up of mentioned golden roasting juices:
I served this with roasted greens and a rocket/arugula tossed with my On a regular basis Dressing. If I used to be making for firm, I might go for a potato gratin (make it upfront then reheat it whereas the chicken is roasting – permit an additional 10 minutes for the chicken roasting time) or Lemon Potato Salad (served heat) for one thing somewhat more energizing.
I can even see a pile of Sautéed Inexperienced Beans with Garlic with Creamy Buttery Mashed Potato on the aspect. Or for a easy choice, simply steam greens of selection (peas, carrots, broccoli) then toss with French Dressing and serve with a hunk of bread on the aspect (for plate mopping).
Like to know what you’d serve this with for firm. I’m having a cocktail party this weekend – I used to be going to do a Mexican Fiesta however I’m anticipating some not-so-subtle requests for as we speak’s dish as a substitute! – Johnsat x
Advised sides
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (~1.5 kg/3 lb) chicken marylands (US: leg quarters) or 8 bone-in, skin-on thighs (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/3 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (sub low-sodium chicken stock/broth)
- 100g/7 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
- 4 garlic cloves , minced using a garlic press (Note 2)
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves , finely chopped (Note 3 for dried)
- 2 tsp thyme leaves , finely chopped (Note 3 for dried)
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
- Mix Herb & Garlic Butter ingredients until combined.
- Butter chicken – Use an upside down tablespoon to loosen the chicken skin from the flesh on the thigh and most of the leg (Note 4). Smear 80% of the butter under the skin, just a small amount (~5%) on the underside (flesh side) then the remainder on top of the skin. (The flesh side gets lots of flavour from the pan juices).
- Put chicken in roasting pan, skin side up. Sprinkle skin with the 1/2 tsp salt. Pour wine around chicken.
- Roast 50 minutes – Roast 10 minutes to get the skin going. Then reduce the heat to 200°C /400°F (180°C fan) and roast for a further 40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes from the 20 minute mark onwards.
- Rest & serve – Remove from oven. Rest 10 minutes then serve with the garlic-herb-butter pan juices as the sauce!
Notes
1. Chicken marylands are called chicken leg quarters in the US and chicken legs in the UK. Whole chicken leg with thigh attached. Great value, overlooked cut of chicken!
Alternative – 8 x skin on, bone in thighs.
2. Garlic – Or finely grated using microplane or very finely minced using knife. We want the juicy minced garlic to mix seamlessly into the butter for maximum garlic flavour.
3. Fresh herbs really deliver in the flavour department but both can be substituted with 1 1/2 tsp dried herbs (each). Still chop them, to release flavour.
4. Spoon is ideal for this job as the shape of the spoon hugs the curves of the chicken so the spoon won’t pierce the skin. See video and step photos of help to do this step.
Leftovers will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per Maryland. 1 Maryland is a generous serving for someone with a hearty appetite.
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