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!
Table of Contents
“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
Begin by making the marinade: 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, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
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. Turn on broiler (leave 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!
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.
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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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When I make chicken marbella for company, I often make it ahead, bake it, freeze it and then just reheat when it’s time to eat it. Would that work with this recipe?
Hi Jane, I haven’t frozen this, but I think it would work. 🙂
Thanks! I’ll let you know how it works.
The chicken turned out perfectly and very delicious. My children love it!
I have made several times and it’s wonderful! Will be serving it to guests tomorrow evening for an informal dinner party. Do you have a wine suggestion?
Hi, glad you like this! If you’d like to go with white, I think a chardonnay would be nice. If you’re going red, the dish would pair nicely with a pinot noir
OMG WONDERFUL RECIPE!! I’ve made this for 6 people and they raved how awesome it was! Your taste buds are hit in every direction possible!! I cook a lot and this stands out against everything else and not to toot my own horn but I am a great cook. I’ve made this recipe 3 times already and I just made it once again this time doubled everything and I hope it comes out the same way PERFECTLY and UNBELIEVABLE TASTE taking your taste buds in every direction! Good Job To This Chef!!
Hi Jenn, I made this dish twice before. This time, I decreased the red pepper flakes by half. I’m something of a “wuss” when it comes to heat and food! I served it with rice. The second time, I made it exactly as is written, and served it with couscous. Perfect! This time: I made changes in order to meet some current diet restrictions. I doubled the marinade, and roasted in a 13 x 9 pan. I added halved Brussels sprouts 3/4 cup, Broccoli flowerettes3/4 cup, and 1 cup small, halved Mushrooms. All were marinated with chicken EXCEPT mushrooms. Everything else was as written. I didn’t really miss the starch sides, and loved the veggies!
Just found this site and recipes looks awesome. Can I use butternut squash instead of or as well as carrots?
Sure, Antonia – I think that’d work well. 🙂
Jenn,
I made this for the second time and it was another huge hit. My holiday menu had this dish, your brisket atop onion recipe, your balsamic honey brussel sprouts, and honey cake. Needless to say, I rave about your recipes and book any chance I can get. Thank you for making creative, delicious cooking so much fun.
Hi Jen, I accidentally left out carrots, onions and dates from marinade. I marinated the chicken overnight. Is there way to rectify this? I love your blog and bought your book. Thank you for many wonderful recipes!
Hi Elena, Totally fine to just add the carrots, onions and dates right before cooking. Hope that helps!
Thank you for your reply, Jennifer. It came out great! New family favorite! I skipped the dates, but otherwise followed the recipe. Added carrots and onions about 2 hours before cooking (misread the instructions by mistake) and it was still delicious!
Delicious!
My concern about marinating chicken in lemon juice for such a long period of time is that the acidity makes the chicken rubbery. I’ve had this experience , when I’ve made chicken off the bone . Any thoughts?
Hi Sara, I have that same issue with boneless chicken breasts but here the chicken is cooked on the bone so you won’t have that problem. Hope you enjoy it if you try it!
I’d like to make this recipe this weekend and serve it next weekend. Can I freeze the chicken in the marinade and cook before serving?
Sure, Renee, I think that should work. Hope you enjoy!
This just didn’t quite work for us.
It was fine, but nothing special. I’m not a good enough cook to say what was missing, but it felt like something was omitted.
I made this for a dinner party for 8 and it was a HUGE success. I chose this because most of the prep could be done the day before so my tiny kitchen wasn’t cluttered with pots and pans! I also knew I could serve this without testing it out before as your recipes have NEVER failed me and this passed the test. I had a couple from Spain who were new to Boston and they said not only was it the best dish they have tasted so far but it reminded them of a Morrocan dish from home. I used bone in thighs for portion control so I could plate the dishes easily to my guests as they sat down to dinner. I served with couscous (perfect for thighs to rest on) and your arugula salad. I am happy I doubled the recipe as I am now enjoying the leftovers immensely.
Can I substitute dried figs for the dates? Would it be too sweet?
I think that should be fine, Jenna. Enjoy!
This dish was incredible! I was looking for something to serve for Easter dinner that was not turkey or ham. Decided to give this a try. Everyone absolutely loved it. I served it with couscous and steamed carrots. The sauce was amazing – I had three servings of couscous just to soak up the sauce. Will definitely make this again.
I just made this for company and they liked it. My husband really loved it, me too. I followed your recipe and found it to be such a great make ahead meal. I especially loved the toppings, and the presentation was lovely. I made the green beans and served it with brown basmati rice. I will make it a lot. I love your recipes!
I couldn’t find the right chicken for this recipe so I bought a 4 lb package of thighs (with skin). Will the cook time be the same? Thank you! Really looking forward to making this.
Hi Carol, are the thighs bone-in? If so, they would cook for the same amount of time. Hope you enjoy!
Yes, they’re bone-in. Thank you for writing back so quickly. I’ll marinate tonight and cook tomorrow. I’m sure they’ll be amazing!
Marinaded overnight and had it for dinner last night with some smashed red potatoes. OMG this is fingerpicking good. I added more crushed red pepper as I like spicy and this was the perfect combination of sweet (but not sickly sweet) and spicy. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Hi Jenn! Thanks so much for your amazing, flawless recipes. I’m looking for a great roast chicken for Passover. I typically make Marbella, but would love to try something new. There are a lot of restrictions for my dish – no dairy, nothing too sweet (as not to compete with the tsimmes) and no rosemary or sage can be used. Is this a good alternative? How spicy does it end up? Hoping to make something the preschoolers at the table will eat. Finally, will this work without skin if I don’t broil at the end? If you have other Passover recs, I’d love them! Thanks so much! – Marissa
Hi Marissa, this is definitely a nice alternative to Chicken Marbella. It has a nice balance between sweet and savory; If you’re concerned about it being too sweet and competing with the tsimmes, you could cut the honey back just a bit. Regarding using skinless bone-in chicken, you could probably get away with it, but I think you’d need to add a few more tablespoons of olive oil to make up for the fat in the skin – otherwise, the chicken might be dry and the sauce off balance. Hope that helps!
I’m embarrassed to ask this question but here goes: I’m new to cooking. If you can believe I’ve never roasted bone in, skin on chicken before. Someone told me once that it will make a terrible mess of your oven and the fat will splatter everywhere. So, I wonder: If I make this recipe, will it splatter all over my oven and make a huge, hard to clean mess for me to clean up after my guests leave?? I’d like to move past my fears, so I appreciate any and all answers/tips advice. I love this site and every single recipe I’ve ever tried—and so have my guests. Thank you, Jenn.
No need to be embarrassed! This should not make a mess of your oven; the baking sheet will get pretty dirty with this, but if you’d like to avoid scrubbing it after dinner, cover it with non-stick foil before putting the ingredients on. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you, Jenn. You are simply the best. This site and your recipes are a sheer joy and supreme pleasure. Nothing makes me happier than creating one of your dishes for people to enjoy. Thanks for ALL you do. You are truly incredible and I have so much respect for your talent and kindness.
Thank you, Diane, for such kind words – you made my day! 💕
I made this for dinner last night. It was so tasty and colorful. I followed the recipe without making any changes. I give it a 10 out of 10!
I have made this dish 3 times for my Bible study group, at their request, and they love it!! Putting all the ingredients in a baggie makes cooking and clean up a breeze! One time I served a spinach salad with it, but they really prefer no sides. For dessert, I have served Key Lime Pie Ice Cream…..incredible!!!! You are so thoughtful to post pictures of ingredients and videos of the process because they have helped me become a better, more organized cook. Thank you so much! 5 Stars
This dish is absolutely delicious.
The fact that I can make it a day ahead allows me to serve it to guests without needing to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Make a day ahead then simply pop in the oven! It is wonderful served with wild rice. Thanks for another keeper!
I’ve made this recipe for my family twice and I’ve gotten more rave reviews! I doubled the marinade which means there was more sauce to enjoy. The chicken is always juicy and served with rice makes it the perfect meal. Thank you for another delicious recipe!
My new favorite marinade! Soooo good! I spatchcocked (removed the backbone and flattened) the whole chicken, marinated it for 24 hours, and roasted. I didn’t bother with carrots and dates (which sound delish) because I already had salad and veggies planned. I boiled down the marinade and served it as a sauce to a roasted chicken even better than the ones you get the at store!
I made this tonight…No substitutions or tweaks to your recipe.. I also made the decision to do this with the best ingredients …a fine chicken, which I cut myself into sections….fresh citrus and herbs, medjoul dates. I followed your directions to the letter.
This was, without exception, the best
dinner I have EVER made.
Made this last week for some friends… turned out perfect… didn’t have to change a thing…. tasted superb
Exceptional pairing of sweet and spicy. My family just loved it!
This dish is incredible. The sauce’s sweetness, crunch and flavors are spot on and go so well with eachother. I wouldn’t change a thing. Also, I ended up making rice as a side with it and added some sauce, pistachios, parsley and scallions to it and it was delicious
Made this tonight for my husband, parents, and sister. I did the prep yesterday and allowed it to marinate for a full 24 hours. Loved that all I had to do once company arrived was put everything on a sheet pan and throw it in the oven. Even better, this was by far one of my favorite roast chicken recipes of all time. Just sweet enough, just spicy enough, then flavors are different and exciting but still tame enough to be crowd-pleasing. Everyone cleaned their plates. I particularly loved the dates and the pistachios. Fabulous recipe.
I’ve made this dish for myself and husband and we really enjoyed it. Now I’m having company and planning on serving this chicken. 2 questions for you: what could I substitute for the couscous side dish you suggested for pairing? Also, a guest is bringing a salad to serve before the main meal. What would you suggest for the salad? Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes!!
Hi Bev, glad you hear you like the recipe! If you want to swap out the couscous for something else, I’d suggest just a simple grain or roasted potato; the chicken has so much flavor, that whatever starch you use should be simple. In terms of a salad, this arugula salad would be nice. Hope you have an enjoyable dinner!
Fabulous & beautiful recipe! I used all chicken thighs 12 pieces, about 5 pounds to serve 6 people . I marinated all adding extra ½ marinade and veggies of recipe a full day ahead. I took the advice of others and lined my sheet pan with non stick foil and it worked perfectly. Got RAVE reviews from all on the taste and presentation! Will definitely make again!
We loved this! Thank you Jenn for another winner. It was beautifully browned after 45 minutes do we didn’t broil. Made as written and will do so many more times.
Does this really have 1000 calories and 62g of fat per serving? How is that possible?!?
Hi Nancy, Yes, but remember it’s a main course and side dish all in one.
I made this recipe last night for Hanukkah and for a dinner party with friends. It was amazing! I made it as directed. The flavors were incredible, and I was so happy. My friends all said it was 5 stars. My wife loved it and said it was the best chicken I’ve ever made (and I’ve made a lot of chicken recipes – including the Peruvian chicken from this website). Plus, even with four of us – we still have leftovers. Needless to say, we’re adding this to the regular rotation of dishes we make. Great dish!
Yum, I made with just lemon juice and zest because I didn’t have oranges in the house. It was just fine with out it. Yum
I love how the chicken browned up.i didn’t need the broiler. I will repeat this recipe again…
I made this spicy chicken recipe and absolutely loved it. The flavors played on my tongue. The chicken was delightfully infused with the sweet and savory blend due to the marinade process, which in my case was lengthened for an extra 15 hours due to a family emergency. I had altered it just a bit by adding 1/2C of sautéed leeks leftover from a different preparation.
The next time I had the opportunity to use this marinade was when I made a double portion, kept in the freezer in several small packets. I had made a large salmon topped with mayonnaise and almond meal for Break the Fast. There was about a pound and a quarter left over. The next day I smashed up the salmon, added the veggie-date mix and then served it as cold salmon salad (with whole wheat everything flats) to my book club members, who loved it.
Next I used it with brisket, and then chicken tenders for the kids. Does it look l fell in love with this recipe?
I was going to be cooking in my daughter in law’s new kitchen for Rosh Hashanah. My son is a Rabbi in Seattle. I was looking for a dish to feed a crowd as they entertain 20+ regularly. I used Cornish hens, there was a huge bag of them in the freezer! I multiplied the recipe to make 24 portions. This recipe has everything you would want in a New Year’s dish. It was greeted with oohs and ahs! We were only 18 for that meal but there was nothing left over! This recipe is a keeper!
This was outstanding! Every person at my dinner loved it and went back for seconds. I used skinless bone-in chicken breasts and boneless thighs and they all came out great. I skipped the step to crisp the skin, and made sure the white meat was kept moist the whole time. I ended up warming it for about 2 hours because of a delayed start to our dinner, but it was surprisingly moist. Definitely a keeper!
This is the absolute best! made it just as written..!! I wasn’t sure if the family would like the dates but they did!!!
This is a great recipe! I made Melissa Clark’s original 2 years ago, and this was much easier and tasted the same. There is definitely a heavy sweet taste to the chicken and roasted veggies, but my guests enjoyed it. I also found the orange flavor to be on the strong side, but again, was very good. I love that you can prep this entire dish ahead of time, and then just pop it in the oven before dinner.
Made this tonight and it was absolutely fantastic. Could you put everything to marinate in a ziplock bag and place it in the freezer for A future freezer dinner?
Sure, Rochelle – I think that’d work.
Delicious! I first found this recipe on the NYT website but was unsure until I came across this version. I doubled the recipe, used bone-in chicken breasts and left out the chili flakes and garnishes-didn’t miss them. I lined my cookie sheets with tin foil and had no problem with the honey burning. Clean up was a breeze even with a tear in the foil. Jenn, your recipes are always spot on. Wow!
Great recipe! I love the marinade. I bet it would be delicious on a salad.
My second review…used 6 thighs and only 2 cups of carrots (it was enough). Marinated about 24 hours. Cooked thighs by themselves at 450 for 25 minutes, turned oven down to 425, basted chicken and added everything else, Baked for 20 minutes. Carrots were not cooked through, still had a little crunch and were FANTASTIC. Even better this way than when I first made it.
You mentioned not to use foill. Why? I usually use non stick foil. Should I use parchment paper? Thanks
Hi Karen, I’m always nervous to use foil with this recipe b/c of the honey but many readers have used non stick foil with success – I think it’s fine. Enjoy!
Meal was delicious and definitely will be made again. However, the pan got so much burned on marinade that I’ve been trying all that I can to scrape it off and use boiling water to salvage it. It wasn’t a non stick pan. Next time I’ll use foil throw away pan and place on a baking sheet for support.
This is the only recipe from this site that I haven’t loved. The veggies were wonderful but the chicken, despite being marinated overnight, was tasteless. Paired with Perfect Couscous, which was bland. We served the veggies from this recipe over top of the couscous, which made it great. Overall, disappointed. Can’t win them all.
Do you think I can make this with skin on boneless breasts? I will marinade for 6 hours instead of overnight so the acid doesn’t “cook” the chicken. How long and what temp should I cook? L’Shana Tova!
Hi Brooke, Unfortunately, this isn’t the best recipe for boneless breasts – sorry!
Amazing recipe deserves 5 stars.
Made this a few times and everyone raves.
I use chicken thighs and they are so juicy and flavourful.
A few of your recipes that marinate over night infuse such great flavour into the meat.
Love your style of cooking and ingredients are not complicated .
So happy I discovered you on Pinterest.
AMF