Roasted Turnips, Apples and Rosemary With Chicken Thighs

Amarante

Wed, Dec 11 2019, 1:08 am

I made this on a sheet pan lined with heavy duty foil. Very easy and tasty. I ignored amount of chicken because four chicken thighs are way too small. I used 8 but if it was the big chicken and with leg attached, 4 would probably work

Roasted Turnips, Apples and Rosemary With Chicken Thighs and Greens

Source: Ruffage by Abra Berens

Too often, turnips get short shrift in the fall produce parade. Here, they star in a medley of seasonal produce that allows the mellow bite of the big, round root to shine.

Potatoes complement the turnips, while apples mix in a pop of sweetness. As the chicken roasts, its fat drippings help flavor the fruit and vegetable mixture underneath. Fragrant rosemary and caraway seeds tie it all together. When you pull the dish out of the oven, you’re left with a range of flavors and textures: funky, sweet and salty; tender and crisp. It’s fall in a skillet.

Recipe notes: To make this in a sheet pan, line the pan with parchment paper before spreading out the vegetables and chicken thighs. Roast at 425 for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. You can also roast without parchment for deeper caramelization

Tested size: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
* 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
* 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
* 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
* 2 apples, such as Gala, Fuji or Honeycrisp (about 1 pound)
* 2 turnips (about 1 1/2 pounds)
* 4 potatoes, such as Yukon gold (about 1 pound)
* 1 yellow onion (about 1 pound)
* 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
* 2 tablespoons canola oil, or another neutral-tasting oil, such as grapeseed, vegetable or sunflower
* 1/2 cup dry white wine or hard cider
* 3 to 4 cups (about 2 ounces) baby spinach or pea shoots

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the middle.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Tuck a sprig of rosemary underneath the skin of each of the chicken thighs, then rub the mustard mixture all over the thighs and set them aside for 10 minutes.

While the chicken marinates, halve and core the apples and chop them into chunks (about 1 inch thick). Chop the turnips and the potatoes into 1-inch chunks as well. Peel and chop the onion into 1-inch wedges.

In a large bowl, toss the apples, turnips, potatoes, onion and the remaining 2 rosemary sprigs with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the caraway seeds, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

In a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and press them into the pan. Cook until the skin is nicely browned and the thighs release from the base of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, flip the thighs and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Lower the heat to medium and add the white wine or cider to the pan. Let it reduce until the pan is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the pan and toss to coat.

Using tongs, nestle the chicken on top of the vegetables. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Just before serving, dress the spinach or pea shoots with a little olive oil (if desired), a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Serve alongside the chicken and vegetables.

33055

Wed, Dec 11 2019, 6:32 am

Amarante wrote:

I emailed this exact recipe to myself a couple of days ago. I haven't made it yet. It sounds delicious.

Amarante

Wed, Dec 11 2019, 10:26 am

Squishy wrote:

I emailed this exact recipe to myself a couple of days ago. I haven't made it yet. It sounds delicious.

I had all the ingredients and my soft spot for recipes are those which are essentially one pan because it makes it much easier than having to deal with multiple dishes at the same time.

I have a recipe which is somewhat similar in terms of flavor profile that uses a bit of apple butter along with the root vegetables and savory ingredients. But that is different in that the breast is used and it is diced rather than cooked whole so that the end result is more like a mishmash rather than having a solid piece of chicken.

I have the cookbook - if you are interested I could post some other recipes that you might have seen. It's an intriguing point of view - here's the amazon description.

Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables by Abra Berens

Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables is not your typical cookbook—it is a how-to-cook book of a variety of vegetables. Author Abra Berens—chef, farmer, Midwesterner—shares a collection of techniques that result in new flavors, textures, and ways to enjoy all the vegetables you want to eat. From confit to caramelized and everything in between—braised, blistered, roasted and raw—the cooking methods covered here make this cookbook a go-to reference.

Treasure trove of 300 recipes. Spanning 29 types of vegetables—from asparagus to zucchini—each chapter opens with an homage to the ingredients and variations on how to prepare them. 140 photographs show off not only the finished dishes, but also the vegetables and farms behind them.