Roasting chicken thighs in a hot oven is a hands-off way to achieve two of life’s greatest pleasures: crispy skin and golden schmaltz. And you want that chicken fat because it will crisp hand-torn bread into croutons. This meal is made even more lovely thanks to a bold but balanced fish-sauce butter that you whip up on the stovetop while the rest of the meal takes care of itself in the oven. Be sure to start with cold butter; the gradual melting of the fat helps thicken the sauce without breaking it.

With this especially crispy and tender buttermilk fried chicken recipe, former F&W editor Grace Parisi has perfected one of our all-time favorite things to eat. A buttermilk marinade with a touch of cayenne ensures juicy meat; make sure to allow two to four hours for the chicken to soak. While it's marinating, you can mix up the flour dredge, which is spiked with garlic and onion powder to promise a crunchy, flavorful crust in every bite. You'll want to have an instant-read thermometer handy when it's time to fry up the chicken to ensure the oil is at the correct temperature and to test the chicken for doneness.

Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian take-out dishes for several reasons. The irresistible blend of spices, tomatoes, chicken, cream, and butter makes it almost impossible to not lick the bowl to get every last bit of flavor. In her version, F&W’s Chandra Ram adds an untraditional touch of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to add mild heat and smokiness to this rich, flavorful dish you can make in just 35 minutes.