Oven-roasted chicken and red onion in a tangy marinade; goes well with many Mediterranean side dishes
(Adapted from a New York Times recipe by Sam Sifton)
2 lemons, juiced
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
a pinch ground cinnamon
red pepper flakes, to taste
1¾ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, ½ cup of olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
When ready to cook, heat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil, and use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease it. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.
Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges, and cooked through, pausing about halfway through to tip as much melted fat as possible off of the corner of the pan into a heatproof bowl. The total cooking time should be about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits.
Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with accompaniments of your choosing, like basmati rice, pita bread and/or chips, hummus, olives, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, muhammara, or yogurt sauce.
First Thursday Recipes 