Liz says: "This sweet-and savoury chicken tsimmes is an easy dish with a built-in attraction. The juices of the chicken enhance the flavours of the carrots and prunes. It's filling when paired with rice or kasha, and it's colourful and complex enough to serve for the holidays."
Serves: 4
Ingredients
● 3 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
● 3 tbsp honey
● 2 tbsp vegetable oil
● 2 tsp salt, plus more as needed
● ½ tsp redpepper flakes, plus more as needed
● 1 tsp grated lemon zest
● 900g - 1.15kg chicken pieces, bone-in with skin
● 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced into halfmoons
● 450g carrots, cut into ½-inch rounds
● 225g pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
● 120ml water
● Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Method
● Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a small bowl, mix together the ginger, honey,a tablespoon of the oil, the salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest to make a glaze. Set aside.
● In a heavy-bottomed oven proof frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over a medium heat.
● Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and sear the pieces for 5 to 7 minutes until brown Transfer them to a bowl, generously coat with the glaze, and set aside.
● Add the onion to the pan and cook until it softens and becomes aromatic, about 3 minutes.
● Add the carrots and prunes and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are just beginning to soften, adding a pinch or two more of salt and red pepper flakes if required.
● Add the water to the pan, scraping up the bits of carrot, onion, and prune that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
● Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the tsimmes, drizzling any glaze in the bowl over the chicken.
● Place the frying pan in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (the safe internal temperature for chicken is 75°C), its skin is crispy and browned,and the sauce looks thick and bubbly.
● Serve the chicken with tsimmes and kasha or rice.
● Spoon over any pan juices and garnish with parsley.
