chicken thigh

Another long title this time but I wanted to include it all as a description. The inspiration came from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Mellissa Clark from the NY Times. This is another sheet pan dinner. I’ve added a few things to make it a full meal, and simplified it as well. All you need is something green to complete it. We loved an arugula salad with a mustard and lemon dressing.

The original did not include the carrots or the croutons. I had a couple of bunches of multi-colored carrots from the recently opened farmer’s market and wanted to include them. They made a perfect ‘rack’ on the sheet pan and roasted to perfection under the chicken thighs. The croutons were added near the end of cooking time along with the feta. The irregularly shaped chunks became crispy on the edges and absorbed the wonderful cooking juices.

You could use another vegetable or even potatoes instead of the carrots, make sure they have a similar cooking time. Brussels sprouts would work, thick slices of cauliflower as well.

Chile-Roasted Chicken with Honey, Lemon and Feta (Plus Carrots and Croutons)

Chile-Roasted Chicken with Honey, Lemon and Feta (Plus Carrots and Croutons)

Ingredients:

6-8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (or breasts)
salt and pepper
6 – 8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated or smashed into a paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon of olive oil plus more for drizzling
Zest and juice of one lemon, Meyer if possible
1/4 teaspoon of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 lemon (Meyer if possible) sliced thinly
2 ounces feta, crumbled into large pieces
3 thick slices of ciabatta or brioche, torn into pieces about 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces for the croutons
chopped mint or parsley for serving

Method:

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix together garlic, honey, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes. Add the chicken and toss with your hands, spreading the paste all over the chicken. Add the rosemary sprigs and lemons slices, toss again to combine. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or foil.
Spread the carrots on the sheet pan, spread the chicken over the carrots with the skin side up, tuck in the rosemary spreads and lemon slices. Cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and tuck in the croutons around the chicken. Sprinkle the feta on top.
Continue to bake for another 20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
Sprinkle with chopped herbs and additional red pepper flakes for serving.

Chile-Roasted Chicken with Honey, Lemon and Feta (Plus Carrots and Croutons)

It’s Fiesta Friday #382 and I am taking this easy sheet pan dinner to the party . You can find the link to Fiesta Friday here. It’s a virtual (aren’t most things now) party, a collection of posts hosted by Angie. Come on over to read a collection of blogs about cooking, gardening, decorating and crafts.

This recipe came to me via a long time friend of my parents, Obe. He had retired to Florida from a long career traveling the world in the merchant marines. Obe was a character (understatement), told wonderful stories, and threw great parties. His recipe has been in my files for decades. It seems timeless, and I return to it again and again when I want something simple but impressive. Do you have those as well? What are your timeless recipes? Obe’s Chicken is simple but it’s a winner because of the presentation. My mother called it “Game Hens Obe” because Obe made it with halved Cornish game hens. I’ve adapted the recipe (the first spring asparagus was too inviting and the game hens were all frozen). The original recipe called for halved game hens, small baking onions, and lightly steamed green beans. That’s the way Obe served it. The sumac is my own addition, I like the slight lemony flavor and lovely color. You could easily leave it out without compromising any flavor.

This is the perfect introduction to spring, an attractive platter full of lovely colors and aromas. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled and could be the centerpiece of a large dinner party. It’s time for your best china and stemware.

Chicken Obe

(serves 4-6)

Chicken Obe

6 chicken leg/thigh pieces or 3 game hens, halved
6 Plum tomatoes (one for each serving), may substitute whole canned plum tomatoes
12 large shallots or small boiling onions
1 tablespoon ground sumac
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus, tough ends snapped off and peeled if necessary
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
splash of wine vinegar

Dry the chicken with paper towels and put into a large bowl. Rub with the sumac, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Peel the shallots or onions.
Skin the tomatoes (if using fresh) by dropping them into boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and cool, the skins should easily peel off. Leave them whole.
Plum tomatoes ready to peel
Line a roasting pan with foil, put a rack in the pan to keep the chicken above the juices (I used a couple of cake cooling racks). Place the chicken on the racks in a single layer.
Chicken with Shallots, ready for the oven
Drop the shallots or onions into the bowl which had contained the chicken, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and roll them around to cover with any residual spice mix. Add them to the roasting pan with the chicken, nestling them among the chicken pieces. Brush the chicken with any olive oil remaining in the bowl. Bake in middle part of the oven for 45 minutes. Check to see if cooked through (game hens could take longer depending on their size).
Meanwhile rinse the asparagus and place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven with the chicken for the final 12 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet, preferably non-stick, on medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook, turning occasionally, until they are beginning to soften. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Italian plum tomatoes
When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and carefully add any juices to the skillet where the tomatoes were cooked. Bring to a boil, add the sugar and continue to cook until it turns syrupy. Add a splash of wine vinegar.
Carefully add the tomatoes (plus any accumulated juices) and shallots (or onions) from the baking pan to the skillet to warm and coat with the sauce.
Sauce
Spread the asparagus on a warm platter, top with the chicken, then the tomatoes and shallots. Pour any sauce over all.