Chicken Roasted with Spiced Carrots & Cauliflower

From the blog For Love of the Table

4 chicken leg quarters or 6 thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs. total weight)

salt & pepper

3 T. olive oil, divided

1 1/2 t. (slightly mounded) ground coriander…or more to taste

1 t. (slightly mounded) ground cumin…or more to taste

1 to 1 1/4 lb. carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into pieces about 2-to 2 1/2-inches long and 1/2-inch thick

1 to 1 1/4 lb. (trimmed weight) cauliflower, cut into large (1 1/2- to 2-inches) florets

1 to 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Roughly chopped cilantro, optional

Preheat the oven to 450°. When the oven is hot, place a half sheet pan (18- by 12- by 1-inch baking sheet) in the oven for five minutes to warm up).

Season the chicken with salt & pepper and sprinkle with some coriander and cumin, if you like. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. Take the hot sheet pan out of the oven and place the chicken on the pan, skin side down. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the vegetables in a large bowl with 2 T. olive oil (use less if the chicken is releasing a lot of fat), the spices and salt & pepper to taste. Toss to lightly coat with the oil and seasonings. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the chicken over (use a pancake turner style spatula to carefully release the skin if it is sticking). The skin should be beginning to crisp nicely. Arrange the vegetables evenly around the chicken pieces, stirring a bit to coat them a bit in the rendered chicken fat. Return the pan to the oven.

After another 15 minutes, give the pan a shake…using the spatula to flip the vegetables over if they are sticking or browning unevenly. Everything in the pan should be sizzling nicely. If this isn’t happening, increase the oven temperature to 475°. If the chicken and vegetables are burning or the fat is smoking, reduce the temperature a bit.

Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast until the juices run clear or the thigh meat registers 175° to 180° on an instant thermometer—another 10 to 15 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove to a plate and let rest. If the vegetables aren’t browned to your liking, return them to the oven for another 5 minutes or so. Drizzle the finished vegetables with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Carefully scrape the bottom of the pan (so you won’t tear up the vegetables) with a flat wooden spoon to release the caramelized bits and fold these into the vegetables. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Serve immediately with rice or couscous, scattering some cilantro over all, if you like. Serves 4 to 6.

(Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, March 2006)

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As published on forloveofthetable.com