By Late February. The cold has been heavy. The recipe Sunday picked itself for the brightness on the title alone. Sunshine chicken from a Family Feast post: bone-in chicken thighs roasted with lemon, tarragon, garlic, white wine, and a yellow vegetable medley (yellow summer squash, corn, yellow bell pepper) on the same sheet pan.
The math: chicken thighs $2.79, lemon, fresh tarragon $0.99, white wine free from Aunt Tammy, yellow squash $0.99, frozen corn, yellow bell pepper $0.99. Total: about $7.40 for two dinners.
The technique is the sheet-pan roast at 425 for thirty-five minutes. The chicken skin crisps. The lemon juice and white wine pool with the chicken fat to create a pan sauce. The vegetables caramelize at the edges.
The plate is bright yellow under bronze chicken skin. Mama said, eating, baby, this is winter saying spring is coming.
The recipe is below. The trick is the fresh tarragon, not dried.
Sunshine Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lbs total)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 orange, thinly sliced (for roasting alongside)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place them in a large oven-safe skillet or 9x13 baking dish.
- Make the sunshine glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, honey, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir until honey is fully incorporated.
- Coat the chicken. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken. Pour the glaze evenly over each thigh, turning to coat all sides. Tuck the orange slices around and underneath the chicken pieces.
- Roast. Transfer to the preheated oven and roast uncovered for 35–40 minutes, basting with pan juices halfway through, until the skin is golden and caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the pan juices over the top, scatter fresh parsley over the dish, and serve directly from the skillet.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 13g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 290mg