Pomegranate-Orange Chicken

Pomegranate and orange juices form the basis for this dynamite chicken dish that echoes eastern Mediterranean flavor combinations.

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  1 large orange, zest finely grated, juiced
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup pomegranate juice
  
  


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  1-1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
  
  


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  1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
  


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  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


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  6 tsp. canola oil
  
  


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  Kosher salt
  
  


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  3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


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  2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  
  


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  2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced on the diagonal 1/4 inch thick
  
  


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  1 red onion, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges
  
  


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  4-lb. chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces, trimmed of extra skin and fat, patted dry
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
  
  

Tip:

See our  video tip on cutting a whole chicken into parts

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice and pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat and reduce to 1/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, the cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Divide the mixture between two small bowls. To one bowl add 2 tsp. of the oil and 1/2 tsp. salt. To the other add the chicken broth, all but 1 tsp. of the orange zest, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Scatter the sweet potatoes, parsnips, and onion over the bottom of a metal, glass, or ceramic baking dish that measures about 10x15x2 inches. Toss with the remaining 4 tsp. of oil and 1 tsp. thyme. Arrange the chicken pieces, skin side up, on top of the vegetables and brush with all of the juice-oil mixture. Roast for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375°F. Pour the juice-broth mixture around the chicken pieces and scatter the walnuts around the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the vegetables are tender and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F in several pieces of chicken, 20 to 30 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter. Use a slotted spoon to arrange the vegetables and walnuts around the chicken. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and sprinkle the remaining orange zest over all. Tilt the roasting pan so that the juices gather in one corner. With a large, shallow spoon, skim as much fat as possible from the pan sauce. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and pour into a pitcher to pass at the table.