This surprisingly simple one-pan meal, featuring savory chicken thighs and filling root vegetables, will become your next favorite weekday dinner.
Chicken Quarters with Hearty Root Vegetables
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 skin-on bone-in chicken quarters
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices
- 4 large turnips, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- Garnish: fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, salt, fennel seeds, and pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons oil and half of sugar mixture onto chicken.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook, turning frequently, for 6 minutes. (Be careful not to burn skin.) Remove chicken from skillet, and discard drippings.
- In same skillet, arrange sweet potato, onion, and turnips in a spiral. Sprinkle with chopped sage and remaining sugar mixture. Place chicken on vegetables.
- Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165° and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Carefully tilt skillet to discard excess drippings before serving. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.
