Bon Appetit refers to lime pickle as “hot, sour, salty, sassy”. That’s a description of many of my favorite recipes – so why in the world didn’t I know about this magical condiment? It is apparently used as a marinade, sandwich spread, condiment or the basis for quite a salad dressing. After using it as a marinade for this Lime Pickle Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Watercress, I’m determined to give each of these uses a try.
Always on the hunt to try something new and totally flavorful, Teresa and I stumbled across this recipe in the pages of the March 2017 issue of Bon Appetit. It was certainly inviting, that chicken with the charred skin, accompanied by beautiful fingering potatoes and nearly-caramellized onions served on a bed of sweet, tender watercress. All accompanied by a pretty easy and straightforward recipe. And, I have to say, this is one of the most flavorful marinades we’ve ever made. When I make it again, I will definitely marinate the chicken the night before, to intensify the incredible flavor.
We were able to find lime pickle in a jar at our local grocery in the form of Patak’s Original Lime Relish. Patak’s includes: limes, oil, salt, mustard, vinegar, fenugreek, paprika and turmeric. It seems pretty easy to make on your own if you like. (And, like most homemade foods, is very likely even tastier than the store-bought variety!) You can make your own lime pickle with a recipe from Jamie Oliver, who uses preserved lemons, or maybe try one from a gorgeous blog that features Indian foods called Aromatic Essence.
Enjoy!
Lime Pickle Roasted Chicken
We found this recipe for Lime Pickle Roasted Chicken in the March 2017 Bon Appetit. The key to this fantastic flavored chicken is to marinate it as long a possible, up to 12 hours. I don’t know, but I bet you could go a full 24 and it would be even better. The marinade contains a...
Ingredients
- 3 Garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1" piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp. Prepared Lime Pickle (we used Patak's Lime Pickle)
- 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Large Sweet Onions, thickly sliced, divided
- 1/2 c Mayonnaise
- 6 Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (1 1/2-2 lbs. total)
- 1 1/2 lb Fingerling potatoes, any color, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Large bunch watercress, tough stems trimmed
- 2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the garlic, ginger, lime pickle, paprika, cayenne, and 1/4 of the sliced onions until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper and pulse to combine. Using a rubber spatula, transfer marinade to a zipper lock bag.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towel, then season lightly with salt. Add to the bag, seal and toss to coat. Let marinating chicken set at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate up to 12 hours - longer is better. Wrap or cover remaining onion slices and chill until ready to use.
- If chicken is marinating chilled, remove from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting to bring it to room temperature. Preheat oven to 450F. Toss halved potatoes and remaining sliced onionswith the olive oil in a large roasting pan. Add 1/4 cup water, season with salt and toss again. Place chicken pieces, skin side up, on top, making sure there is some space between pieces. Roast 45-55 minutes until chicken is cooked through and lightly charred in spots. Remove from oven, allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Toss the watercress with lemon juice, season with salt. Serve chicken, onions and potatoes with the watercress.
You have described the recipe so nicely that really helped me lots.
I’d like to see actual reviews from people who have made the dish. 5 stars is pointless, just bc it “sounds” like it may be good. Geez
This chicken makes my mouth water… its sounds so flavorful!
Thanks, Maria! It is beautiful combination of flavors. Lime Pickle is an inspirational relish! So versatile!
I’m so excited to try this – lime pickle sounds like a delicious concept – can;t believe I’d never heard of it before! Thanks for the recipe!
I felt the exact same way! It is exciting (and tasty!) to learn new things in the kitchen! Hope you get the chance to try it and let me know if you love it as much as we did!
haven’t had lime pickle ever either! but preserved lemons are super flavorful and useful, so i bet they (and by association this chicken; it looks so crispy and golden!!) would be delicious (:
Thanks, Heather! I always like trying new things. What’s interesting about lime pickle is that in addition to limes and salt, it also contains delicious spices, so it is more of a “relish” or condiment than preserved lemon is. But like the lemons it is quite “zingy” and super useful! Hope you have the chance to try!
Yum! Can you come to my house and be my personal dinner chef please and thank you! I love pickles but I don’t think I have ever had lime pickle before. Eager to try it now thats to this recipe 😀
You are so kind! Thanks for the supreme compliment! I hope you have a chance to try Lime Pickle – I don’t know where it’s been all of my life! And likewise, your recipes are simply goals for me – I’m hoping to try to make your Hobnobs this weekend!