Chile-Roasted Chicken With Honey, Lemon and Feta
A little sweet, a little spicy and very citrusy, this easy chicken recipe hits all the right notes, making it the kind of weeknight dinner you’ll put on repeat. The feta adds a creamy, salty bite that’s softened by the lemon and honey, while rosemary and red-pepper flakes round out the flavors. Serve this with a loaf of crusty bread or flatbread for scooping up all the tangy pan juices. You won’t want to leave a drop behind.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 3pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (to substitute breasts, see Tip)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2large garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed to a paste
- 1tablespoon honey
- 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 2fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1lemon, preferably a Meyer lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
- 2ounces feta, crumbled into large pieces (a heaping 1/2 cup)
- Chopped mint, dill or parsley, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix together garlic, honey, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes. Add chicken and toss well with your hands, spreading the garlic paste all over the chicken pieces. (Don’t worry if the honey is a little clumpy.) Add rosemary sprigs and lemon slices and toss to combine. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.Step 2
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper.Step 3
Spread chicken and lemons across a single layer in the lined pan, tucking in the rosemary sprigs. Drizzle oil generously over everything. Roast for 20 minutes.Step 4
Using tongs, turn over the chicken pieces, and give the lemons a stir. Sprinkle feta on top. Continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer, until the chicken is deeply bronzed and cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or drumstick registers 165 degrees. Serve garnished with chopped herbs and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.