Sticky, Sweet and Savory Chicken: No Fork Necessary

This dinner of bone-in chicken legs, roasted with lemon, honey, feta and chile, is best eaten out of hand — but don’t forget the napkins.

One of the things I’m least looking forward to about re-entering polite society after our pandemic isolation is having to eat bone-in chicken with a knife and fork. This past year has involved a blissful disregard of many utensils. We may light the candles and serve wine in crystal glasses, but forks have become purely optional, especially for poultry. With their built-in handles, drumsticks are just so convenient for picking up and nibbling. I can’t even imagine how to wield a knife around a neck or a wing. Plus, if you’re a cartilage cruncher like me, there’s really no other efficient way to pry off every last tasty morsel. Bone-in meat tastes better, too, with the marrow adding richness as it seeps into the flesh during cooking.