Roast Chicken With Lemon Curd, Garlic & Chiles
Melina Hammer
Test Kitchen-Approved
Photo by Melina Hammer
- Serves
- 3
- Prep Time
- 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 Minutes
Lemon curd is typically used for sweet recipes—but why not think outside the box and take it someplace savory? This dinner makes the most of lemon curd, adding tart richness to sheet-pan chicken thighs. Fresh rosemary is a natural pairing, and chile offsets it from being overly sweet. Turkish urfa biber adds wonderful smokiness, or you could swap in red pepper flakes for more heat (the different quantities in the ingredient list account for the different spice levels). Opt for slender carrots if you prefer them fully soft once roasted, or thicker ones for a soft-meets-crunch bite. The roasted garlic sends it all over the top. Smear the soft cloves onto thick toast, then drag it through the schmaltzy pan sauce. And for more ways to use lemon curd, head here.
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt, for sprinkling
- 3 garlic heads, top third sliced off
- 7 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 3 tablespoon lemon curd
- 2 teaspoon urfa biber (or ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- 2 lemons, halved horizontally
- Flaky salt, for sprinkling
- Sliced sourdough, toasted
Featured Video
Roast Chicken With Lemon Curd, Garlic & Chiles
Directions
- Step 1
Pat dry the chicken thighs and set on a small tray or plate. Season all over with salt, then set aside while you work on the other ingredients.
- Step 2
Position one rack in the center of the oven and another in the top slot. Heat the oven to 425°F. Place the garlic heads and carrots on a rimmed sheet pan. Generously drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Turn the garlic cut-side down.
- Step 3
Finely chop enough rosemary to yield 1 teaspoon. Transfer the chicken thighs (skin-side facing up) to the sheet pan with the carrots. Carefully peel back the skin on the chicken thighs. Evenly spread the lemon curd on top of each thigh. Evenly sprinkle with the chopped rosemary, followed by the urfa biber. Smooth the skin back on top of the lemon curd. Season with salt and pepper and lightly drizzle with oil. Nestle in the remaining rosemary sprigs, and add the lemon halves cut-side down.
- Step 4
Roast on the center rack for 25 minutes. Rotate the thighs, shuffling the ones near the edges toward the middle and vice versa. Flip over the lemon halves and garlic heads. Keep roasting for 5 to 7 more minutes, until the skin is golden. For extra-crispy skin, you can place the sheet pan under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Step 5
Bring the sheet pan to the table, set on a trivet, divide between 3 plates, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its papery sheaths and spread onto the toast. Squeeze the roasted lemon all over.