Name: Barbecue-Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Deviled Egg Potato Salad
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1½ pounds red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch chunks; 1½ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking potatoes; 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed; 2 tablespoons Barbecue Spice Rub; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 4 hard-boiled eggs, separated, whites chopped; ⅓ cup mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 celery rib, chopped fine; ½ teaspoon paprika

Why This Recipe Works

Deviled eggs and potato salad are built from similar ingredients, so combining them into a single dish requires little extra effort and produces something more interesting than either would be alone. Whisking the cooked yolks directly into the mayonnaise and mustard dressing created a richer, creamier base with a deeper eggy flavor than a standard potato salad dressing, while the chopped whites folded in at the end added familiar texture and emphasized the deviled egg connection. Drizzling the warm drained potatoes with white vinegar before chilling them allowed their starchy flesh to absorb the acid while still porous, seasoning the inside of the potatoes rather than just coating their surface. Broiling the barbecue-rubbed thighs on a wire rack kept the underside from steaming and ensured the chicken browned evenly on both sides, producing a lightly charred, spiced crust that played off the cool, creamy salad beside it.

Before You Begin

You can substitute 1 tablespoon of packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper for the barbecue rub. You can grill the chicken instead of broiling it, if preferred. Serve with barbecue sauce, if desired.

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt; return to boil and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain potatoes, rinse under cold water, then drain well. Spread potatoes over rimmed baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle potatoes with vinegar and toss to combine, then refrigerate until cooled.

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and set wire rack in sheet. Combine chicken, barbecue spice rub, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Arrange chicken in single layer on prepared rack. Broil until chicken is well browned and registers at least 175 degrees, 14 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add celery, egg whites, and potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve.