Ah, the weeknight dinner. We love to eat them, but don’t always love to make them.
After a long day at work, it’s hard to pull yourself together to prep and cook a delicious, yet satisfying meal. How many times have we resorted to cereal or takeout? More times than we care to admit.
This is one of those meals, however, where you can prepare most of it ahead of time and leave it organized on a sheet pan until you’re ready to cook a day or two later. The last thing you want to do after a full day of busying around is cook a sink full of dishes, right? Sheet pan dinners—and especially this gem from our friends at Food52—are here to save the day, and probably the whole week, too.
This recipe is so good, in fact, that you’ll probably find yourself going back to it for a romantic night in, or even your first dinner party as a married couple. If you have some non-meat eaters in your circle, replace the chicken with some cauliflower or broccoli steaks and skip the broiling step. There’s really no way to lose with this one. The author was inspired by the famous Zuni Cafe, for crying out loud!
So dust off your sheet pans, put on your chef’s hat, and let’s get cooking on any given busy weeknight.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs and Bread Salad
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided, plus more to taste (balsamic or other types of vinegar can be substituted)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 Pounds chicken drumsticks (8 to 10)
- Kosher salt plus freshly ground black pepper
- 12 Dried figs (Mission or Turkish), stems removed and halved
- 4 Cups torn bread chunks (from half a loaf of sourdough, ciabatta, or French bread)
- 1 Small yellow or red onion, thinly sliced
- A Few large handfuls of arugula
Method
1. To make vinaigrette: combine olive oil, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and honey in a small bowl. Whisk to combine until the honey dissolves. The vinaigrette should be more tart than sweet; adjust balance if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the broiler. Place the drumsticks on a half sheet pan (for easy clean-up, line it with parchment), and blot them dry with a paper towel so they’ll crisp better. Toss them in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette until they’re evenly coated, then season well on all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Broil drumsticks until the skin browns and crisps on the first side, then flip and repeat on the other side, about 6 minutes (note that total time will depend on the intensity of your broiler). Remove the pan from the broiler; set aside.
4. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine halved figs with 2 tablespoons vinegar and 3 tablespoons hot water; let macerate. (For efficiency, slice the onion and prep the bread now too.) When oven is ready, drain the figs.
5. Add the bread, onion, and figs to the sheet pan, and toss with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. (Place the chicken to one side to make this easier.) Arrange the contents of the sheet pan in an even layer.
6. Roast until the drumsticks are browned and fully cooked through (about 20 to 25 minutes). The bread should be nicely browned and crispy at this point, but if it’s not, remove the chicken to a plate and roast the bread, onions, and figs for a few more minutes while the chicken rests.
7. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then add the arugula to the sheet pan. Toss well to coat the arugula and bread in the chicken drippings. Add more vinaigrette if desired. (If you want additional vinaigrette for serving, mix up a little more.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
We’re so inspired by making the beginning of married life a breeze for couples, and simple, but satisfying weeknight eats is one way to ensure to get off on the right foot. This recipe is part of our newlywed recipe series with our partners at Food52. Be sure to check out last month’s recipe, and stay tuned to see what we have cooked up next month.
This recipe was originally published on Food52.