Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken with Carrots, Dates & Pistachios
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This sheet-pan roast chicken dinner is the perfect no-fuss dish for company. Everything can be prepared and assembled a day in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pop it in the oven.
Don’t you just love discovering new “keeper” recipes? The first time I made Melissa Clark’s fabulous sweet and spicy roast chicken recipe from The New York Times, I knew it’d be a family favorite for years to come. The chicken is immersed in a honey, citrus, and chili-infused marinade, and then roasted on a sheet pan with carrots and dates.
Before serving, herbs, scallions, and pistachios are added for freshness, color, and crunch. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also the perfect no-fuss dish for company. Everything can be prepared and assembled a day in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pop it in the oven. Serve with couscous and a green vegetable and dinner is done!
“I told the family I would clear up after dinner so I could have a quiet moment alone with the leftovers. Such a delicious dish!”
What You’ll Need To Make Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken
The original recipe is wonderful as printed but, as with any recipe, each time I’ve made it, I’ve tweaked it to suit my style and my family’s taste. What follows is the version I make today.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the marinade. Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, and salt.
Step 2: Marinate everything. Place the chicken, carrots, onions, and dates in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and seal shut. Massage to make sure everything is evenly coated with the marinade, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 3: Roast. Transfer all ingredients from the bag, including the marinade, to a rimmed sheet pan. Turn the chicken skin side up. Roast until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes.
Step 4: Finish under the broiler. Turn on broiler (leaving the pan on middle rack), and cook a few minutes more, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Watch very carefully: the honey in the marinade can cause the skin to burn quickly!
Step 5: Serve. Transfer the chicken, carrots, onions and dates onto a platter, along with the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the parsley, scallions and pistachio nuts over top and serve. Enjoy!
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken with Carrots, Dates & Pistachios
This sheet-pan roast chicken dinner is the perfect no-fuss dish for company. Everything can be prepared and assembled a day in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pop it in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 oranges
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 6 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and breasts)
- 3 cups ¼-inch sliced carrots
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced dried dates
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
- 2 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped salted pistachios, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, and salt.
- Place the chicken, carrots, onions, and dates in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and seal shut. Massage to make sure everything is evenly coated with the marinade. Place the bag on a rimmed sheet pan to protect against leakage and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Transfer all ingredients from the bag, including the marinade, to a rimmed sheet pan (do not line the pan with foil). Turn the chicken skin side up. Roast until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. About halfway through cooking, stir the carrots so that they don’t burn around the edges of the pan.
- Turn on broiler (leave pan on middle rack), and cook 1 to 3 minutes more, or until skin is golden brown and crispy. Watch carefully: the honey in the marinade can cause the skin to burn quickly.
- Transfer the chicken, carrots, onions and dates onto a platter, along with the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the parsley, scallions and pistachio nuts over top and serve.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 1,022
- Fat: 62g
- Saturated fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Sugar: 49g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 60g
- Sodium: 1306mg
- Cholesterol: 227mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hello,
1,022 calories per serving sounds like a lot. Is it possible that was a mistake or a typo?
Thanks,
Carol
Hi Carol, I know it does seem like a lot but keep in mind that it’s a main course and side dish in one — and also that number includes the chicken skin, which adds a lot of fat and calories.
This recipe looks great,however can you use just boneless skinless chicken breasts?
You really can’t on this one, Felice. Sorry!
Is there something else I can substitute the whole grain mustard with? I have regular mustard and dijon. Thanks in advance Jenn!
Hi Renjani, I think Dijon mustard would work just fine here. Enjoy!
I want make this recipe for a week-end outing. I thought I could make it the day I leave and then serve it the next night. Is it okay to marinade the chicken and veggies for 2 days?
Sure Marsha, that should work just fine. Hope everyone enjoys!
Hi Jenn,
I’m not a honey fan. Can you suggest a substitute that will work? Thanks.
Hi Diana, I think brown sugar or maple syrup would both work well.
I would like to make this but how do you clean the sheet pan after you have cooked the dish?
Hi David, Just soak with soapy water for a bit, and you should be able to clean it pretty easily. Keep an eye on the edges of the pan while cooking and be sure to mix the vegetables around at least once, as that’s where they tend to burn.
I haven’t tried this technique, and I’m not about to burn a pan just to test it, but I’ve read that a dryer sheet works wonders! Like here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/littlethingscom/use-a-dryer-sheet-on-your-dishes-and-never-scrub-a-pot-or-pan-again_b_8011934.html
This looks wonderful! Could one line the baking pan with foil for easier clean-up?
Hi Jamie, I’d be hesitant to line the pan with foil because there’s so much honey in the marinade — I think the vegetables will stick. Sorry!
I wonder if parchment paper would work OK…what do you think Jenn? I often use it in sheet pan meals. I have some very nasty-looking sheet pans I save for roasting, and scrub them with steel wool.
Hi Dee, I haven’t tried this with parchment paper, but I wouldn’t suggest it. I think it might get too wet and not necessarily keep the pan from getting dirty. If you do try it with parchment, I’d love to know how it does.
Hi Jenn, I want to make this for a dinner party for 14! Pls clarify I am doing marinade a day before but don’t bake until I’m close to serving? Thanks! Laura
Hi Laura, Yes, that’s correct! You marinate everything starting the day before, then bake right before serving.
Looks amazing! Can boneless chicken breasts be used in this recipe? Would the cooking time be changed?
Unfortunately Paula, they won’t work well in this recipe– sorry!
This looks great! One question, though: in the nutrition information, the calorie count and fat amount seem unexpectedly high per serving. Is something off with them?
Hi Erin, This dish is definitely an indulgence, but the nutritional information is correct. Chicken with the skin on definitely ups the calorie and fat count, but is so delicious! That said, feel free to remove the skin before serving to lower the calories and fat.
I would love to leave a picture but we ate it before I could plate it!!It was so amazing that I could’ve stop sighing!! Mmmm so awesome! I also added quinoa and two small potatoes. I also used rainbow carrots! Thank you thank you!!!!
I also used parchment paper and it was good
So glad you enjoyed!