Not everyone in my family likes brisket, so on Rosh Hashanah I make a second main course. This year I had planned on Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange Balsamic Sauce, the most popular dish on my website. But I’ve not been able to get fresh figs.
Wow, that was a short fig season!
So, I’m going to make this Tzimmes Chicken, which is basically braised/roasted chicken plus some of the ingredients I use to make one of my modern meatless tzimmes recipes.
Although the Yiddish word tzimmes means “a big fuss,”this recipe certainly isn’t! It’s not complicated, it’s easy to cook and you can make it ahead and reheat.
Fyi, a few years ago this recipe appeared in The Jewish Week Food & Wine, but the recipes on their website are no longer be available.
Shanah Tovah.
ROASTED TZIMMES CHICKEN
3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
16-18 dried apricots
12 large Medjool dates, pitted
1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a large oven-proof sauté pan in the oven (cast iron if you have it) for 15 minutes. Dry the chicken using paper towels. Rub one tablespoon of the olive oil over the pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the chicken pieces, skin down for breasts and thighs in the hot pan and place the pan in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes. While the chicken is roasting, combine the onion, garlic, apricots, dates, orange peel, rosemary, Balsamic vinegar, honey and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl. Toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. After the initial 10 minutes of roasting, turn the chicken pieces. The skin should be browned, if not, return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes. Scatter the fruit mixture on top of and between the chicken pieces. Return the pan to the oven. Turn the heat to 350 degrees. Roast for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer will read 160 degrees). Baste 2-3 times during roasting. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 4-6 servings