A few weeks ago, this photo of my dinner, that I posted on Facebook, garnered quite a bit of attention, and rightfully so. It’s beautiful to look at, making for a great dinner party dish. It also happens to be one of those really luscious and soul satisfying dishes.

But what makes it devilled, several asked. Yes, people knew of that southern classic, devilled eggs, but didn’t see the connection. I would also add that devilled crab is another popular New Orleans, and greater Gulf Coast region, dish.

So I did a bit of research to find out exactly what it is that makes a dish devilled. It turns out, putting the “devil” in a dish, is as simple as adding a bit of spice. in the case of devilled eggs, it can mean mustard, which is always an ingredient, and a bit of cayenne, hot sauce or hot paprika – even occasionally a touch of horseradish. Another southern classic, devilled ham, also includes a bit of cayenne, and sometimes mustard. In devilled crabs, there’s definitely a bit of cayenne.

This savory and piquant chicken dish only includes a good Dijon mustard (definitely a main player), as well as a pinch of cayenne .

Although the dish looks like a lot of work, it can be broken down into steps. The chicken is marinated a day before. The breadcrumbs – with that really great extra step of tossing them in the browned butter which adds so much flavor – can be done a little bit ahead, and the blanched leeks, that Ms. Goin serves them over, can be made a day or two ahead of time. Of course, the chicken things can be served without the Blanched Leeks , but it really does add a lot to the dish. I served mine also with a Purée of Roasted Sweet Potatoes on the side.

Devilled Chicken Thighs – adapted from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques

• 8 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced, @ 3/4 cup
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 chiles de arbol, thinly sliced
• 2 dried bay leaves, crumbled
• 2/3 cup dry white wine mixed with 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups Panko style breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 large shallots, about 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon, diced
• 1 scant cup Dijon mustard
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
• A pinch of cayenne
• @ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or Ziplock bag along with the sliced onion, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, the sliced chiles, the bay leaves and 1/4 cup of the wine/vinegar mixture. Toss to coat the chicken well (cover with plastic wrap if in a bowl) to refrigerate overnight.
2. Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat a medium to large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute, then add 3 tablespoons of butter, and cook until it’s brown and smells nutty. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the browned butter over the bread crumbs. Wait a minute until it cools slightly, then add the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the thyme, tossing well.
3. Remove the chicken thighs from the refrigerator, while cooking the shallots and le t them sit out , to bring them to room temperature
4. Heat the sauté pan again to medium heat, about 1 minute, then swirl in the remaining teaspoon of butter. When it foams, add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes, until translucent. Then add the wine/vinegar mixture to the pan, and reduce it by half. Transfer the shallots to a bowl and let them cool a few minutes, then whisk in the mustard, egg, tarragon and a pinch of black pepper.
5. Remove the onion slices, thyme stems and sliced chiles from the chicken thighs, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Let them sit for another 15 minutes, then season them well on both side with salt and pepper.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Return the sauté pan to high heat (about 2 minutes), then swirl in the olive oil, allowing it to heat about 1 minute. Place the chicken thighs skin side down, and cook them until the skin is a deep golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Turn the thighs over and cook another minute or two, then pace the thighs on the braised leeks, – optional but delicious. Add the chicken stock to the pan, and scrape up the little crispy bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon, then pour the stock over the leeks.
7. Toss the chicken thighs in the bowl with the mustard mixture, coating them completely, then rearrange them over the leeks. Spoon any remaining mustard mixture over the thighs, then top each thigh with the prepared breadcrumbs – using it all, patting them with your hands to make sure they get nicely coated.
8. Bake for about 40 minutes, then turn the oven temperature up to 475 degrees, then cook a for about another 10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are a golden brown.