You don't need oil to achieve perfectly crispy chicken skin—the fat that naturally renders out is more than enough for that and cooking the vibrant veggies that go with it!

Preparation

Heat oven to 400°F. Heat a large cast iron pan on medium-low heat.

Mix together the salt, granulated garlic and chili powder. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with the salt mixture and place skin-side down in the cast iron pan. As soon as some fat has rendered in the pan, gently lift the chicken to make sure it has released from the bottom of the pan.

Cook the chicken skin-side down for 10–12 minutes, checking the progress of the browning every 3–4 minutes to make sure the pan is the correct temperature. There should be a constant gentle sizzle—if the pan goes quiet, then it is too cold and the skin won’t crisp; if it is loud and popping, then it is too hot and will burn.

When the chicken skin is well browned and the meat is cooked about ¾ of the way up the side, flip the chicken over and brown the other side for 1 minute. Remove the chicken from the pan and drain all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the carrots and mushrooms. Sauté until just starting to brown. Scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and check the heat to make sure the pan is not burning.

Add the asparagus, green beans, bell peppers, tarragon and lemon zest. Toss all vegetables together and place the chicken, skin-side up, on top. Place the entire pan in the oven and cook until the chicken is 165°F, about 7–10 minutes.