Pan-Roasted Chicken with Pineapple-Chile Glaze

Early last week, I received the highly-anticipated November issue of Bon Appetit.  Highly anticipated by me because it always presents new and interesting twists on Thanksgiving classics.  But just a few pages in, I stopped in my tracks…wait…what’s this?  Isn’t this the Thanksgiving issue?  

I never made it to the Thanksgiving section. This chicken had to be made, and served.  A.S.A.P.

I hope you feel the same way.  It has all my favorite spices: cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne.  It has a beautiful sweet-tangy-spicy glaze over the crispy skin.  Served on a tortilla with the roasted pineapple, crisp radishes, crumbly Cotija cheese and fragrant cilantro.  I hope there are leftovers! (I almost never say that!)

So this chicken is so flavorful, you could serve the pieces of chicken over rice, drizzled with the pan sauce and serve the roasted pineapple on the side. Or, you could serve it the way I described, that was recommended by BA, as a soft taco with various condiments. This is a pretty versatile dish for one so full of flavor!  

So give it a try! You won’t be sorry!  A real keeper!

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Pineapple-Chile Glaze
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2015)

Ingredients

 

 

1-5 lb. chicken, backbone removed, halved 

1 1/2 t ground cumin

1 1/2 t ground coriander

1/2 t cayenne pepper

Salt, pepper

1 T vegetable oil

1/2 fresh pineapple, sliced in 1/2-in. thick crescents

1 Serrano chile, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c pineapple juice

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

2 T brown sugar

1 T paprika

If you are making tacos, add:

corn or flour tortillas

1 bunch cilantro, chopped coarse

Cotija cheese

3-4 radishes, thinly sliced

Instruction

Preheat oven to 425F.

Pat dry the chicken halves.  You could use chicken pieces here, too.  I think the recipe calls for halves because it is easier to keep the skin together and make it crispy. 

Combine the cumin, coriander and cayenne.  Rub the mixture over the chicken pieces.  You could do this in advance as a kind of “dry marinade”, maybe an hour at room temp or a couple hours in the fridge. Then season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large, oven-safe skillet, or shorter-rimmed pot. Saute chicken pieces in hot oil skin-side down for 5 minutes.  It should look golden brown and be slightly crispy at this point. Remove from pan and set aside.

 

 
 

Into the pan, place the pineapple slices in a single layer directly into the hot oil.  Then place the chicken pieces atop the pineapple, skin-side up. Place the pan in the oven and roast 45 minutes.  

While the chicken roasts, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, paprika and Serrano chile in a small saucepan. Cook at a low boil until syrupy, about 15 mins.  Season with salt.

Just before the chicken is done, during the last 2-3 minutes of roasting, liberally spread the thickened glaze onto the chicken.  Return to oven for the final 2 minutes.  

Check the chicken’s temperature. The thickest part of the thigh should register 165 F. Set the chicken onto a cutting board, let it rest 10 minutes, while you prepare the taco fixings if necessary.

Chop the chicken and pineapple.  Toss with some of the pan juices. Serve on warm tortillas with radishes, Cotija cheese and cilantro. Enjoy!