Sheet-Pan Chicken With Roasted Plums and Onions

By Melissa Clark

Published Sept. 9, 2020

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Roasted Plums and Onions
Julia Gartland for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)
Total Time
1 hour, plus at least 2 hours’ marinating
Rating
4(3,860)
Comments
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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.

Featured in: Roast Chicken and Plums Make the Sweetest Sheet-Pan Meal

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 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
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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

  1. 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).

  2. Step 2

    Put the seeds into a large bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest, garlic, honey, allspice and red-pepper flakes.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,860 user ratings
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Comments

Trish

Is there something one could use as a substitute for fennel? I really, really live this recipe sans fennel.

Prakash Nadkarni

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.

Walter Sudmant

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.

Debi

I can’t find stone fruit in the fall. Do you think grapes would work?

Hedy Williamson

I usually love Melissa Clark's recipes but this one was just odd. The flavors just didn't meld well, it seemed like it was different in order just to be different. Yet others seemed to love it, so maybe just not my cup of tea.

Wayne Taylor

Thoroughly enjoyed this dish and it was a hit when it was placed on the dinner table. Great flavors. Substituted chicken thighs for a cut-up whole chicken. The flavors melded well. A completely satisfying Fall dish. Served it along side a faro pilaf, tomato/cucumber salad and garlic bread.

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