Fiona's Green Chicken

I got this recipe from The Kitchn. I don’t actually know Fiona, but I kept the name of the recipe as is because a) I like it, and b) it reminded me of Shrek’s Fiona, who is green, so it seemed even more fitting somehow. The Engineer and I both loved this recipe, and it was easy to make. I didn’t feel like firing up the grill (I rarely touch it, to be honest), so I baked these in the oven – those are the directions I’m giving below. I used a regular onion, not a sweet onion, because it only goes in the marinade, so I actually wanted the stronger taste. This is a great recipe for summer!

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup; see note above)
1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems
1 ¼ cups packed basil leaves
¼ cup packed mint leaves
3-4 Tbsp. fish sauce, like Red Boat
3 peeled garlic cloves
zest of 1 lime
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper (I used Korean pepper)
2 Tbsp. apple juice (or 1 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey)
kosher salt
3 lbs. chicken drumsticks or thighs
lime wedges

Make the marinade by combining the onion, cilantro, basil, mint, fish sauce, garlic, lime zest, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, and apple juice in a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste (since this is a marinade, you should add more salt than for a sauce.)

Place the chicken in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and pour the marinade over it. Let the chicken marinate overnight (marinate for at least an hour and up to a day).

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and set a wire rack in it. Place the chicken on it skin-side down and bake for 35 to 45 minutes (or until internal temperature reaches 165 °F), flipping skin-side up at the 20-minute mark.

Serve with lime wedges.