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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.

Plate of sweet and spicy roast chicken with carrots, dates, and pistachios.

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!”

Kate

What You’ll Need To Make Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken

Chicken ingredients including honey, lemon, and onion.

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

Whisk in a bowl of marinade.

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.

Chicken and vegetables in a bag with marinade.

Transfer all ingredients from the bag, including the marinade, to a rimmed sheet pan. Turn the chicken skin side up.

Marinaded chicken and vegetables on a baking sheet.

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!

Baking sheet of sweet and spicy roast chicken with carrots, dates, and pistachios.

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.

Plate of sweet and spicy roast chicken with carrots, dates, and pistachios.

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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.

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes, plus at least 6 hours marinating time

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • I just went to prep the dates for this meal and discovered that they’re all very old and bad. Are there any other fruits (dried or fresh) that I could use to as a substitute for the dates?

    • — Andrea on March 6, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Andrea, Do you have any dried apricots? I think those would work well.

      • — Jenn on March 6, 2024
      • Reply
      • Ooh I’ll try it out, thank you!!

        • — Andrea on March 6, 2024
        • Reply
  • Hi Jen. I have regular mustard or spicy brown mustard in my fridge. Which would be the better substitute?

    • — Tess on March 6, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Tess, I’d go with the spicy brown. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on March 8, 2024
      • Reply
  • I followed the recipe, but I used boneless chicken breasts. I added some additional vegetables. It smelled really good, but didn’t turn out how I had hoped. Were using boneless breasts a bad idea? Or how should I have modified it for boneless chicken breasts?

    • — C. Anson on February 20, 2024
    • Reply
    • Unfortunately, boneless breasts are not a great option for this one so I suspect that’s what the problem was.

      • — Jenn on February 21, 2024
      • Reply
  • WOW ! I’ve been saying WOW each time I’ve made one of your recipes. This one is no exception. I can’t wait to make this again for guests.

    • — Louise L. on January 28, 2024
    • Reply
  • Jenn,
    I’ve made this before and served it right after cooking but am doing a taste of Shabbat dinner and also making your delicious onion braised brisket, which I make the day before and reheat in a 350 degree oven. Can I make this the day before and also just reheat in a 350 oven or will that not work with this chicken recipe? Thank you.

    • — Ilene on January 12, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Ilene, Yes, it can be cooked ahead and reheated. I’d skip the broiling step at the end when you roast it. When you’re ready to serve it, reheat, covered with foil, in a 325-degree for about 20 minutes or until heated through, then stick it under the broiler as the recipe indicates to crisp up the skin. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on January 12, 2024
      • Reply
  • Made this for Christmas Eve and everyone loved it. Great recipe for gatherings because it can be prepped the night before.

    • — Caroline on December 31, 2023
    • Reply
  • I’m planning to make this recipe for Christmas. As there will be 13 adults and 6 small children, I think I need to triple the recipe. Based on an earlier comment, I should be able to put two portions in my oven. Do you think it would work to bake the third portion in an electric roasting pan and put it under the broiler at the end?
    Thank you for your advice!

    • — Ruthie Peterson on December 19, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Ruthie, I’ve never used an electric roaster, so I can’t say from experience, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on December 19, 2023
      • Reply
      • On Christmas Day I did use my electric roasting pan to bake the third portion of the chicken and it worked great! After taking the other two from the oven first, I put this one under the broiler for a couple of minutes and it was just fine. It was a big hit with the family as I knew it would be, since I’ve made this recipe twice before. Thanks for your help!
        Ruthie

        • — Ruthie Peterson on January 1, 2024
        • Reply
        • So glad the electric oven worked out — thanks for taking the time to let me know! 😊

          • — Jenn on January 2, 2024
          • Reply
  • 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!

    • — Kate on November 19, 2023
    • Reply
    • 🤣🤣

      • — Jenn on November 20, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn
    I am baking this Friday. Can I marinate this for two days or better not too because of the citrus?

    • — Barb on September 13, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Barb, Sorry I’m just seeing this! I think it’d be okay.

      • — Jenn on September 14, 2023
      • Reply
      • Made it for first night Rosh Hoshanah. It was a huge hit! Perfect recipe as it has dates and carrots and sweetness.

        • — Barb Silverberg on September 17, 2023
        • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,

    Is it OK to line the sheet pan with parchment paper? Also, can I substitute the mustard with Dijon mustard?

    • — Jason on September 12, 2023
    • Reply
    • Yes and yes 🙂

      • — Jenn on September 12, 2023
      • Reply
  • I want to make this for tomorrow. Other than not having crispy skin, is there any reason I can’t use boneless, skinless thighs? The group I am serving would definitely prefer that.

    • — Tess on July 31, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Tess, I think this is best with bone-in chicken, but I think you’d be able to get away with boneless thighs. I would maintain the recipe, but check the chicken about 10 minutes before the recipe is done to see if it is fully cooked. If it is, remove it from the baking sheet and let the remaining ingredients roast for 10 more minutes. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on July 31, 2023
      • Reply
  • Is this really over 1000 calories per serving? Something seems off about that.

    • — Dev on April 17, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Dev, I just double-checked the nutritional information and it is correct. I know it does seem like a lot but keep in mind that it’s a main course and side dish in one — also, the number includes the chicken skin, which adds a lot of fat and calories.

      • — Jenn on April 18, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,
    Will this recipe work with skin on boneless chicken breasts? If not can you modify in any way my family loves this recipe but it was daunting with all the chicken pieces last year. thanks so much!
    happy holidays!

    • — Abbie on April 5, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Abbie, I don’t recommend boneless breasts for this recipe — sorry!

      • — Jenn on April 5, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn! Your recipes never fail me, always delicious and easy to understand. Thank you! I’m planning to make this chicken for Passover. I’ll be doubling the recipe. For the baking and broiling steps should I use glass Pyrex pans (maybe 2), or a gigantic metal roasting pan with a non-stick finish?

    • — Sandy K. on April 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Sandy, you can get away with either (and so glad you like the recipes)!

      • — Jenn on April 3, 2023
      • Reply
  • Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I sliced six carrots and added a teaspoon of Garum Sala for another layer of flavor. The family loved it.

    • — Elaine Baer on March 31, 2023
    • Reply
  • Once again, a delicious recipe that I will make again and again! Though, getting the sheet pan clean of the burnt honey was a bit of a chore. I wonder why she recommends no foil on the pan? Maybe I missed it.

    • — Anne on March 26, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Anne, In my experience, the chicken tends to stick to the foil, I think due to the honey.

      • — Jenn on March 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • I made this over the weekend as a trial run for a dinner I am hosting in about a month. My excellent chef son-in-law gave it high marks and with this assessment from him, I knew it was a hit. I loved it as well. Served over couscous and when I host the upcoming dinner will add a favorite Syrian bread salad.

    Every recipe I made from this site is a hit. Once Upon a Chef is my go to site for all my cooking.

    • — Jean K. on March 13, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hello, I saw that you recommend serving this hot from the oven, but I will not be able to do that as I’m taking it to a potluck gathering from another event. Would it be OK to serve at room temperature, and do you have any tips for doing that well? (I will have no ability to reheat it, unfortunately.) I know that there are other dishes such as Chicken Marbella which can be served at room temperature, but I’ve already begun marinating this one and there’s no time to change, so I’m committed. Thank you!

    • — Vivian on January 27, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Vivian, I think this would be very good at room temperature without any changes. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on January 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • This was absolutely delicious. Followed the recipe to the “T” The citrus in the marinade added so much flavor. Will definitely be making this again.

    • — Piper on January 22, 2023
    • Reply
  • My New Year’s resolution was (among other things) to cook one new recipe a week….this was one of them. My husband says he likes this chicken better than any chicken he has ever had. It was so tender and moist and he loved the seasonings and dates. I am thinking of cooking it for our Easter dinner this year and may even cook it in advance because the leftovers I reheated were even better than the first night! Thank you Jenn for another winner!!!

    • — Paulette on January 20, 2023
    • Reply
  • I’ve made this dish a number of times, easily one of my very favorites.

    • — Ian Macleod on December 26, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,
    What type of wine would you recommend serving with this dish?
    Thanks, Ruthie

    • — Ruthie Peterson on December 17, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Ruthie, if you want to go red, a Pinot Noir would be nice. If you’d prefer white, a Sauvignon Blanc or Reisling would pair well. you can read more about food and wine pairings here.

      • — Jenn on December 18, 2022
      • Reply
  • Made this dish last weekend for a pot luck get together. It was a big hit. The perfect combination of sweet and spicy. A keeper for sure! Thanks!

    • — Cathi D. on December 2, 2022
    • Reply
  • Jenn,
    We are having 30 guests for Christmas; do you think I should sub chicken breasts because of small and elderly handling bones? What amount should be made for that many? Maybe add breasts to the original recipe?
    Have love your recipes.
    Jan

    • — Janet E Ferrari on December 1, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Janet, I really don’t recommend boneless breasts for this recipe – sorry!

      • — Jenn on December 1, 2022
      • Reply

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