Crispy Lemon Chicken with Rice and Sweet Potato Recipe

By Kim Kushner

(The Nosher via JTA) – Chicken, rice and sweet potato slices all roasted together in the oven will release juices and flavors that make your mouth water.

I know that most people might not opt for rice and potatoes in the same sitting, but I love the contrast of the soft, buttery sweet potato slices against the bright lemons and crunchy rice. If you’d rather leave the potatoes out, feel free  — but I’m warning you, the experience just won’t be the same!

If you don’t have a whole butterflied chicken, feel free to use chicken pieces, skin on and bone in.

Reprinted from I  Kosher: Beautiful Recipes from My Kitchen, with permission from Weldon Owen Publishing.  

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch slices

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/8-inch slices

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon (preferably Meyer), scrubbed and cut into 1/8-inch slices

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

4 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 whole butterflied chicken, skin on and bone in, trimmed of excess skin and fat

For the rice:

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 teaspoon light olive oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Zest of 1 lemon

2 cups boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. To prepare the chicken, drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil into a large baking dish (at least 9-by- 12 inches). Add the sweet potato and onion slices, season with salt and pepper, and toss them in the oil.

3. Arrange the potato and onion slices in a single layer in the base of the dish. Place the lemon slices over them.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and thyme. Drizzle this mixture all over the chicken and rub into the top and underside of the chicken, coating it as much as you can.

5. Place the seasoned chicken, skin side up, in the center of the baking dish.

6. To prepare the rice, rinse the rice under cold running water and drain. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, turmeric, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

7. Scatter the rice around the chicken in the baking dish.

8. Pour the boiling water directly over the scattered rice (but not over the chicken). Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and uncover. Return to the oven to cook until crispy, 30 minutes longer. Serves 4-6.

(Kim Kushner’s third book, “ I  Kosher: Beautiful Recipes from My Kitchen“  (Weldon Owen), will be released in November. She has two previous best-selling books, “The New Kosher” (Weldon Owen) and “The Modern Menu,” (Gefen Publishing). She has appeared on “The Today Show” and been featured in The New York Times, Saveur, The Huffington Post and the Chicago Tribune, among others.)