Best Roast Chickens With Plums New York Times Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS AND OLIVES

Roast Chicken With Apricots and Olives image

This festive dish is a fairly easy main course for the Seder meal - or anytime. Marinating overnight leaves very little work on the day of serving, but two hours is enough to infuse the chicken with tangy citrus and the sumac. Dried apricots, already more tart than sweet, are marinated along with the chicken and become almost savory in the oven. Using pitted Castelvetrano olives will save you a lot of elbow grease, and their meaty texture and mild flavor are perfect here. After roasting together, everything goes under the broiler to deeply brown and thicken the cooking juices into a tasty sauce.

Provided by Susan Spungen

Categories dinner, poultry, main course

Time 3h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

3 1/2 to 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (see Note)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, sliced and seeded
1/4 cup fresh blood orange or regular orange juice
1/4 cup honey
4 to 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons ground sumac
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (6 ounces) dried apricots
1 cup (4 ounces) pitted Castelvetrano olives with 2 tablespoons brine
4 large or 8 small shallots, roots trimmed, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters or halves
1/4 cup dry white wine

Steps:

Slash each piece of chicken through the skin a few times, about 1 inch deep. Season with the salt and pepper and place in a large bowl or large resealable plastic bag. Whisk lemon juice, orange juice, honey, garlic, thyme, sumac and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl to combine. Add lemon slices, apricots, olives and olive brine. Pour the marinade over the chicken and cover tightly or remove as much air as possible before sealing it. Set on a small sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, turning the bag from time to time.
Position a rack 8 inches from the broiler heat source. Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss shallots with remaining tablespoon oil and spread out on a large sheet pan, cut sides down. Place on the lower rack and cook, turning once, until starting to turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and use your hands and a slotted spoon to scoop the chicken, apricots, lemon slices and olives onto the pan, reserving the marinade. Arrange in an even layer with the chicken skin side up and return to the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, baste the chicken with the drippings, and cook until chicken juices run clear, about 10 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the oven. Heat the broiler to high.
Pour the reserved marinade and wine over the chicken, and broil until the chicken is browned and the liquid is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. If the apricots start to get too dark, turn them over in the sauce. Transfer to a platter. If you used chicken breasts, cut them in half. Pour the sauce over everything or serve it on the side.

ROAST CHICKEN

Roast Chicken image

With an ingredient list just four items long (chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper), the genius of this bare-bones roast chicken is in its technique. To make it, thoroughly preheat a cast-iron skillet before sliding into it a seasoned bird, breast side up. In under an hour you'll get a stunner of a chicken, with moist, tender white meat, crisp, salty chicken skin, and juicy dark meat all done to a turn. If you don't already have a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold a whole chicken, this recipe is a good enough reason to invest in one.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories dinner, easy, weeknight, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 3

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Put a cast-iron skillet on a low rack in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with the oil and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
When the oven and skillet are hot, carefully put the chicken in the skillet, breast side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Continue to roast until the bird is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh reads 155 to 165 degrees.
Tip the pan to let the juices flow from the chicken's cavity into the pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Carve and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 673, UnsaturatedFat 34 grams, Carbohydrate 1 gram, Fat 51 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 50 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 949 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH FIGS AND ROSEMARY

Roasted Chicken With Figs and Rosemary image

This is truly one of the easiest company-worthy chicken dishes out there. Marinated with citrus zest and rosemary then quickly roasted at high heat, the chicken turns golden, juicy and richly flavored, while the figs cook down into sweet jammy puddles. Use your favorite bone-in chicken parts here, or a mix of pieces. Or if you're starting with a cut up small whole bird (here's a video demonstrating how to do that), add a couple of drumsticks or thighs to reach the 4 1/2 pounds you'll need.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories dinner, main course

Time 1h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

4 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
2 rosemary sprigs, needles removed from stems (discard the stems)
2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane or finely minced
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest, plus optional orange or lemon wedges for serving
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ripe figs, stemmed and quartered lengthwise
1 to 2 jalapeño or red chile peppers, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Steps:

In a large bowl, toss chicken with salt, rosemary, garlic, citrus zest and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight (the longer the better).
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread chicken pieces out on two rimmed baking sheets, making sure there is plenty of room between the pieces. Arrange figs among the chicken pieces, then scatter jalapeño slices on top. Drizzle everything generously with olive oil.
Roast, switching the position of the baking pans after 15 minutes so everything browns evenly, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. This should take about 25 to 30 minutes for the breast meat, and 30 to 40 for the dark meat. Serve chicken with the orange or lemon wedges for squeezing, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 817, UnsaturatedFat 36 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 57 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 57 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 1000 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CURRIED ROAST CHICKEN WITH GRAPEFRUIT, HONEY AND THYME

Curried Roast Chicken With Grapefruit, Honey and Thyme image

Sweet and savory curry powder is combined with honey and a pleasantly tart grapefruit juice to create a rich glaze for your above-average weeknight bird. Roasting the chicken low and slow keeps the meat moist, and basting frequently prevents the caramelization of the sauce from scorching. Serve with a side of greens such as spinach, kale or Swiss chard that have been sautéed in lots of garlic and oil.

Provided by Colu Henry

Categories dinner, weekday, poultry, main course

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/3 cup grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed, if possible
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

Steps:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Pat the chicken dry and season it well with salt and pepper, both inside and out. Place the chicken breast-side up in a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapefruit juice, honey, curry powder and thyme. Spoon all the mixture over the chicken, making sure it is evenly covered.
Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, basting every 15 minutes or so. Turn heat down to 325 degrees and continue basting the chicken with the pan juices until the skin is lacquered with sauce and the chicken registers 165 degrees with an instant thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, about 45 to 50 minutes more. If skin is starting to become too dark, tent with foil. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 660, UnsaturatedFat 26 grams, Carbohydrate 21 grams, Fat 41 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 51 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 1029 milligrams, Sugar 19 grams, TransFat 0 grams

SHEET-PAN CHICKEN WITH ROASTED PLUMS AND ONIONS

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Roasted Plums and Onions image

Beautiful to behold and easy to make, this sheet-pan dinner combines sweet plums and soft red onions with crisp-skinned pieces of roasted chicken. Toasted fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes and a touch of allspice add complexity while a mound of fresh torn herbs crowns the top. If good ripe plums aren't available, you can substitute another stone fruit including peaches, nectarines or pluots, though if your fruit is very sweet, you might want to add a squeeze of lemon at the end. Serve this with rice pilaf, polenta or warm flatbread for a festive meal.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories poultry, main course

Time 3h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Large pinch red-pepper flakes, or to taste
1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into parts
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 cups ripe, soft plums, pitted and cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced from root to stem in 1/2-inch wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2/3 cup torn mint, basil or cilantro leaves (or a combination)
Flaky sea salt, for serving

Steps:

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).
Put the seeds into a large bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest, garlic, honey, allspice and red-pepper flakes.
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.
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.
Roast until chicken is golden and cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes, removing the white meat if it's done before the dark meat.
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.