Chef notes

Reminiscent of Chicken Marbella, a classic recipe from "The Silver Palate Cookbook", this dish features simple prep, a relatively short ingredient list and a hands-off marinade that makes the chicken super flavorful. Perhaps best of all, the entirety of this dish — chicken, potatoes and broccolini — is baked on a sheet pan for fuss-free cooking and cleaning.

Balsamic vinegar, dried figs and fresh rosemary stand in for Chicken Marbella’s red wine vinegar, dates and oregano. Chicken stock is added to the sheet pan from the start, which prevents the ingredients from burning and keeps the meat juicy. Towards the end of cooking, the chicken is drizzled with honey for a bit of sweetness and to help the skin turn a beautiful golden-brown. The meal is rounded out with small red potatoes and broccolini, both of which require very little prep. The potatoes are simply scrubbed and dried, then seasoned on the sheet pan, and the broccolini is washed, trimmed and added directly to the pan the last 10 minutes of cooking.

You’ll need at least six hours of marinating time, but the good news is that’s all hands-off. Assemble the dish in the morning (it takes about 10 minutes) and pop it in the fridge until dinnertime. Or, prep before bedtime and allow it to soak in all the flavors overnight and throughout the following day.

Don’t let the low-key nature of a sheet pan fool you. While this dish is simple for a weeknight meal, it’s also elegant enough for entertaining. Serve family-style on a large platter for an impressive presentation, pouring the pan juices on top. If you have extra lemons on hand, cut wedges and serve alongside for an extra bit of freshness.

Swap Option: Feel free to use 12 ounces of asparagus in place of the broccolini, adding it to the sheet pan the last 10 minutes of cooking. For best results, make sure the spears are medium or large in thickness, and the woody ends are trimmed.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, zested and halved
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup dried figs, stemmed
1 small red onion, quartered

4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 rosemary sprigs
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)
1½ pounds baby red potatoes
1 cup chicken stock
12 ounces (2 bunches) broccolini or baby broccoli, trimmed
2 tablespoons honey

Fulfilled by

Preparation

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the oil, vinegar, lemon zest, juice of half a lemon, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a large, resealable zip-top bag, add figs, onion, garlic and rosemary. Place chicken in the bag, then pour in marinade and seal. Move everything around in the bag to make sure the chicken is well coated. Place the bag in a large bowl or on a sheet pan (in case it drips), then transfer to the refrigerator. Marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 375 F. On a rimmed 18-by-13-inch baking sheet, toss the potatoes in 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the contents from the bag, including the marinade, onto the baking sheet, arranging the chicken skin side up and evenly spacing them apart. Pour the chicken stock onto the sheet pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the broccolini with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper. After the chicken and potatoes have baked for 35 minutes, carefully remove the sheet pan. Drizzle the chicken with the honey. Arrange the broccolini over everything.

Return the sheet pan to the oven. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked and starting to brown, and the broccolini is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve family-style, or transfer to plates. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and serve alongside.