Spring Chicken

Like so many good things, this dish was discovered as a result of throwing together whatever I had in the fridge into one pot and putting it into the oven. Since then, I've been cooking it on repeat.

It was a Sunday, I had two large leeks leftover from another meal sitting hopefully in the fridge. I had a pile of good sweet potatoes (yams) sitting in a bowl on my counter. I had a whole chicken waiting to be roasted. When everything came together and ended up on the table, we ate the first few perfect bites in total happy silence.

I can and have cooked chicken dozens of ways, but among my favorite preparations is putting the entire bird into a Dutch oven. You can make this recipe in a deep casserole dish or even in a roasting pan, but I can't guarantee the same success. There's just something that ceramic cast iron does to the bird: the meat stays tender, the skin gets perfectly browned, the flavors are somehow more pronounced. Yes, these pots are generally expensive. I have been lucky enough to have been gifted a few that I otherwise would not have been able to afford, but I also have a pot that I got years ago for $50 dollars at World Market and it's the one that I made this chicken in, and I continue to use this cheaper less sexy Dutch oven for countless other dishes. The point is, any cast iron pot will do. Even a plain lodge cast iron pot would be great. If you don't have one, this one time investment will last forever and will be a welcome addition to your kitchen.

This recipe can be modified endlessly. I like to use Japanese sweet potato alongside the beautiful orange variety. I like to throw in a shallot or two for a contrasting onion note. I would happily swap out sweet potatoes for carrots and parsnips, or plain good quality potatoes if I didn't have yams on hand. I sometimes use fresh rosemary, and sometimes I use fresh thyme. Sometimes I use both. I could get away with neither. You get the picture...

But in its best form, this dish is about leeks and sweet potatoes, leeks and sweet potatoes, and leeks and sweet potatoes. Cooked down with the chicken, the aromatic sweetness of the leeks marries with the floral sweetness of the potatoes in rich chicken drippings. The vegetables get very soft, the leeks become unrecognizable, and it all goes so well with perfectly cooked, deeply savory, crisped roast chicken.

All this glory comes together quickly and easily. Everything is thrown into one pot, everything is cooked at the same time, no extra sides are necessary (unless desired). This is a very happy Sunday night meal.

One Pot Roast Chicken with Leek and Sweet Potato
Serves 4-5

1 whole 5 lb. chicken, or you can use the same weight of just white or dark meat pieces (but you will want skin on bone in pieces)
3-4 medium sweet potatoes (1 lb./450g) (any variety or mix of varieties)
2 large whole weeks (1 lb./ 450g)
1 large shallot (3-4 oz / 90g)
4-5  large cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Hungarian paprika, to taste (optional)
Olive oil, to drizzle
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup water (or white wine or chicken stock if you have it)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cut the sweet potatoes into chunks that are no more than 1" in thickness. If the chunks are too thick they might not cook through. Trim the green tops off of of the leek. Use the white/light green part of the leeks by cutting them in half lengthwise, and then washing them well to remove all of the grit. Roughly chop or slice the leeks into half moons, their thickness is totally up to you. Halve the shallot lengthwise and cut it into half moons.

To a pot add the chopped sweet potato, leeks, shallot, smashed garlic, and whole springs of fresh Rosemary (the leaves will come off the stems as everything cooks. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Generously season the whole chicken with salt and pepper, inside and out. Top with paprika if using Drizzle the chicken generously with olive oil, and rub the oil all over the outside of the chicken.

Place the seasoned chicken into the pot on top of the sweet potato mixture.

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken. Add 1/2 a cup of liquid to the pot, drizzled all over the veg. The liquid will help cook the vegetables and keep everything from getting too dry.

Put the lid on the pot (if using a deep casserole dish or roasting pan, cover the dish/pan tightly with foil). Cook with the lid on for 45 minutes. Cook with the lid off for the rest of the cooking time, about 30 minutes - depending on the size of your chicken. You know the chicken is done when it is golden brown, the juices run clear when pierced, or when the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F when tested with a meat thermometer.

Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Carve, and serve the chicken with the cooked sweet potatoes and leeks.

Roasted Chickpeas and Sweet Potato Spinach Salad

My dear friend and business partner and I are teaching a class on vegetarian cooking, and for the class we wanted to share a recipe for roasted chickpeas. Roasted chickpeas are super easy to make and are a great snack all on their own. They are satisfying, crunchy, and they can be flavored a bunch of different ways.

Roasted chickpeas are a crowd pleaser, and great for kids, but we also wanted to find a way to incorporate them into another dish. My sister in law found this Melissa Clark recipe and made it for an outdoor BBQ the other weekend. I fell in love with this salad, and I knew that I had to put it into my salad repertoire ASAP. Yes, I'm posting two salad recipes in a row... but this salad is more of a meal than a salad. It's addictive and has one of the best dressings ever. It's one of those salads that really surprises you with how good it actually tastes.

I've adapted the recipe slightly to fit my own preferences. I'm using plain whole milk yogurt instead of Greek; I find it creamier and smoother. I also added a generous amount of za'atar to my dressing. Za'atar is a generic name for a family of Middle Eastern herbs, and it is also the name of a common spice mixture frequently used in the Middle East. The spice mix usually involves some combo of ground thyme, oregano, marjoram and sesame seeds. If you can't find za'atar you can substitute any type of herb (dried or fresh) that you like. Dill or parsley would be nice here. A mix of ground thyme and oregano would be good, too. You can also just omit the herbs entirely; the dressing is good with just the yogurt, oil, lemon juice and garlic. 

Roasted Chickpeas

2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 15 oz. can or from 1 cup dried chickpeas)

1-2 teaspoons of your favorite spice (paprika, cumin, coriander, chili powder, or a combo of any)

pinch of salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

If you are using canned chickpeas, start by rinsing and draining the the chickpeas.

If you are starting with dried chickpeas, soak them in cold water overnight or  for at least 8 hours. Drain them then add them to a pot, and fill the pot with water (at least 4 cups of water for every 1 cup of chickpeas). Let the chickpeas and water come up to a boil then simmer until the chickpeas are tender and fully cooked. Timing varies depending on the chickpea, but if they are presoaked the chickpeas should cook in about an hour and a half.

Spread the chickpeas in an even layer over clean kitchen towel or over paper towels. Pat the chickpeas dry. Transfer the dried chickpeas to a sheet pan and add the the spice, salt, pepper and oil to the chickpeas. Toss until the chickpeas are evenly coated in oil.

Roast the chickpeas for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  If you are making these chickpeas for the salad recipe below, you can roast them at the same time that you roast the sweet potatoes.
In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk the ingredients together or shake the jar until they are fully incorporated. Add the dressing to the salad and lightly toss everything together until all of the ingredients are well coated. The salad can be dressed up to 1 hour before serving.

Roasted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Adapted from Melissa Clark of The New York Times

Serves 4-6

for the salad-

2 cups roasted chickpeas (see recipe above)

1½ lbs.  or 3-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces

drizzle of oil

salt and pepper, to taste

6-8 cups spinach

4-5 green onions, thinly sliced

for the dressing-

¾ cup plain whole milk yogurt (European-style)

1 garlic clove, finely minced

juice of ½ a lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon za’atar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel and cube the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place the cubed sweet potato onto a baking sheet and drizzle with oil (about 2-3 tablespoons). Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast the sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes or until browned, tender and cooked through. The sweet potatoes can be made at the same time as you roast the chickpeas. Once cooked, allow the sweet potatoes to cool slightly.

Add the spinach to a large salad bowl. To the spinach add the cooled roasted chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Top with sliced green onion.

In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk the ingredients together or shake the jar until they are fully incorporated. Add the dressing to the salad and lightly toss everything together until all of the ingredients are well coated. The salad can be dressed up to 1 hour before serving.