Sheet-Pan Chicken With Roasted Plums and Onions
Published Sept. 9, 2020
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours’ marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2teaspoons fennel seeds
- 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest
- 4garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2teaspoons honey
- ¼teaspoon ground allspice
- Large pinch red-pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1chicken (about 3½ pounds), cut into parts
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2cups ripe, soft plums, pitted and cut into ¾-inch thick slices
- 6fresh thyme sprigs
- 1medium red onion, peeled and sliced from root to stem in ½-inch wedges
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- ⅔cup torn mint, basil or cilantro leaves (or a combination)
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
482 calories; 32 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 835 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Toast the fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour seeds into a mortar and pound with a pestle until coarsely crushed (or lay seeds on a cutting board and pound them with a can or jar).
- Step 2
Put the seeds into a large bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest, garlic, honey, allspice and red-pepper flakes.
- Step 3
Season chicken generously all over with salt and pepper and add to the bowl, turning the pieces to coat them with marinade. Mix in plums and thyme sprigs. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Step 4
When ready to cook, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the chicken pieces, plums, and thyme sprigs on a rimmed baking pan. Add onions, spreading them out around the chicken and plums. Season plums and onions lightly with salt. Drizzle everything with olive oil.
- Step 5
Roast until chicken is golden and cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes, removing the white meat if it’s done before the dark meat.
- Step 6
Transfer chicken pieces as they are done to a platter. Spoon the plums and onions around the chicken. Drizzle a little of the pan drippings over the chicken and serve, garnished with the herbs and flaky salt.
Private Notes
Comments
Is there something one could use as a substitute for fennel? I really, really live this recipe sans fennel.
Roasting whole chicken is a neat idea, but I think that the end-result won't be much different from the above recipe. The pluses of marinating are: 1) You can use chicken parts that you like; 2) It's far simpler for adding flavor (which penetrates deeper) than basting; 3) The marinade tenderizes and hydrates the meat, so it cooks faster and is less likely to dry out; 4) It's more forgiving of meat quality: with some grocery chains, on-sale chicken parts are just a few days short of expiry.
Do not underestimate the glorious quality brought to this dish by roasted fresh plums. Mine disintegrated into a heavenly sauce. Somehow Melissa has concocted a perfect marinade - this is not one to fool around with substitutions or proportions.
Made tonight with ingredients on hand. Didn’t have two hours to marinate so 15 minutes had to do. White onion instead of red. Dried thyme, Realemon Juice, cayenne pepper, toasted anise…I am lucky to have two mortar and pestles, fresh orange zest. Used very moist dried plums. . Oh my, what a forgiving, delicious dish. Served with cauliflower rice with toasted almonds and steamed broccoli. Fit for my royal (or so they think) family. Cheers!
Peter's right: transfer pasta to a skillet with some pasta water when it's still 1-2 minutes undercooked and gradually add the cheese ( more water if needed). But the most important detail for absolutely delicious cacio e pepe - toast whole peppercorns in a small cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat, shaking occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until aromatic or until they start to dance around in the skillet. Crush in a mortal and pestle and use instead of raw pepper. Amazing!
This was AMAZING!! Took other posters advice and added the plums and onions about halfway through the cooking time. Would probably put onions in a bit earlier next time. Tossed the onions in with the plums to use up the last bit of the killer marinade. Made a lentil/freekeh pilaf with caramelized onions, mushrooms and zaatar, riffing on mujardarra. We practically swooned eating it.
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