We’re used to seeing okra breaded and fried, or stewed into aromatic curries. (If we’re being honest, we’re not seeing it very often at all!) But when peak season hits, this sleeper summer vegetable needs little more than simple cooking — okay, and a backdrop of sweet corn and basil — to shine.
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This quick-cooking chicken skillet gives veggies a swirl in rendered chicken fat before brightening them with herbs and a splash of vinegar. The succotash makes a refreshing change from your usual slaw — one that’s hearty and complex, but familiar enough to carry you through the tail end of summer.
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces okra, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
8 ounces frozen lima beans, thawed and drained
2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken, skin-side down. Top with a parchment round; weight with another heavy skillet and canned goods. Cook until golden on skin side, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Flip chicken; cook (with parchment and weighted skillet) until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (without touching bone) registers 165 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, reserving pan juices.
2. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Swirl in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add okra, beans, corn, bell pepper, and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are golden in spots, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, then basil. Serve chicken with succotash, pan juices, and more basil leaves.
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