Bacon Harvest Chicken Skillet

INGREDIENTS

6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. whole pecans
4 slices thick-cut hardwood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 small fennel bulb, green tops removed, bulb halved and thinly sliced
1 small onion, sliced into half moons
3 sprigs thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 lemon
6 slices sourdough bread, lightly toasted, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place on a small sheet tray.
In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, toast pecans, tossing, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pecans, set aside to cool, then roughly chop.
Return skillet to low heat and add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, letting fat render, until bacon pieces crisp up, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving bacon fat in the pan.
Return skillet to medium-high heat. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper, then add chicken carefully to the hot pan in one layer, skin side down. Cook, undisturbed, until skin is deeply golden and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer thighs to a clean plate.
Reserve 1 tablespoon fat in skillet and carefully drain remaining fat. Over medium high heat, add Brussels sprouts, fennel, onions, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking until vegetables are slightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add white wine, increase heat to high, and scrape to deglaze brown bits from pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce until there is about 2 tablespoons liquid left.
Add broth, stirring well, and nestle chicken thighs skin side up into the vegetables. Add any juices to the pan as well. Bring to a boil, then transfer to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Place vegetables on a platter, sprinkle with pecans and bacon and any oil drippings, then top with chicken thighs. Drizzle pan sauce over all. Zest lemon with a microplane over the dish, then cut the lemon and squeeze a lemon half over chicken. Serve with warm bread.