Roast Chicken with Plums and Red Onions, Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Pomegranate, and Roasted Sunchokes

Roast Chicken with Plums, Red Onions, and Mint

Roasting the chicken over onion wedges flavors the vegetables with its juices. Adding firm plums near the end softens them without turning them into sauce, while mint lifts the finished dish.

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 3 pounds total
• 2 medium red onions, cut through the root into 1-inch wedges
• 4 firm-ripe plums, pitted and cut into thick wedges
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, larger leaves torn

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken very dry. Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with the garlic, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Rub over the chicken, keeping thick clumps of garlic off the exposed skin.
2. Toss the onions with the remaining olive oil and salt in a large shallow roasting pan. Arrange the chicken skin-side up among the onions, leaving the skin exposed. Pour the water around, not over, the chicken.
3. Roast for 25 minutes. Turn the onion wedges and nestle the plums between the chicken pieces. Drizzle the vinegar over the fruit and onions.
4. Roast another 15–25 minutes, until the skin is golden, the onions are tender, and the thickest part of the thighs reaches 175–185°F without touching bone. Remove individual pieces as they finish.
5. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes. Gently spoon the pan juices around the plums and onions; taste and add a few drops of vinegar if the juices need brightness. Scatter with mint just before serving.

Notes

• Use plums that yield only slightly to pressure. If very ripe, add them for only the final 8–10 minutes.
• If the pan dries out before the onions soften, add a few tablespoons of water around the edges.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Pomegranate Syrup

A hot, uncrowded pan gives the sprouts dark, crisp faces. Walnuts add a gentler crunch, and tart pomegranate syrup balances the roasted bitterness without making the vegetables soggy.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, large ones quartered
• 2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup walnut halves, roughly broken
• 1½ tablespoons unsweetened pomegranate molasses made only from reduced pomegranate juice

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread cut-side down on a metal sheet pan with space between the pieces.
2. Roast for 20 minutes without moving them. Turn the sprouts, then roast another 5–15 minutes until the cut faces are deeply browned and the centers are tender but not mushy.
3. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 4–6 minutes, tossing frequently, until fragrant. Transfer immediately to a plate.
4. Transfer the hot sprouts to a serving dish. Scatter with walnuts and drizzle with the pomegranate molasses just before serving.

Notes

• Pomegranate molasses varies in acidity and thickness. Start with 1 tablespoon if yours is especially sharp; thin a very thick syrup with a few drops of warm water so it drizzles lightly.

Roasted Sunchokes

Keeping the skins on gives the sunchokes earthy flavor and crisp edges. Large cut surfaces brown well while the interiors become creamy.

Ingredients

• 1¼ pounds sunchokes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Scrub the sunchokes thoroughly, trimming away damaged spots, and dry well. Halve small ones and cut larger ones into roughly 1½-inch chunks.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan with a broad cut surface against the metal.
3. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning after about 25 minutes, until browned at the edges and easily pierced through the center with a thin knife.
4. Toss with the lemon juice just before serving, using only enough to brighten their earthy flavor.

Notes

• Sunchokes are rich in inulin and can cause digestive discomfort. For a pre-fast meal, offer modest portions, especially to anyone who does not eat them regularly.

Overall Timing / Workflow

All three dishes use the same oven temperature. The chicken's resting time provides a final window to crisp the vegetables and finish the garnishes.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Prepare the chicken, onions, and sunchokes.
2. 0:20 — Put the chicken and sunchokes in the oven on separate pans. Prepare the Brussels sprouts and toast the walnuts.
3. 0:35 — Add the Brussels sprouts on a third shallow pan if space allows, keeping room for air to circulate. Rotate pans between racks as needed for even browning.
4. 0:45 — Add the plums to the chicken and turn the sunchokes. Begin checking the vegetables for tenderness as their cooking times approach.
5. 1:00–1:10 — Check the chicken temperature and remove finished pieces to rest. Remove the sunchokes when creamy inside. Give the sprouts additional time on the upper rack if needed.
6. During the chicken's rest, taste the pan juices, finish the sunchokes with lemon, and dress the sprouts with walnuts and pomegranate syrup. Add mint to the chicken at serving.

Notes

• Allow about 75–85 minutes total. If three pans crowd your oven, roast the sunchokes first and rewarm them for 5 minutes while the chicken rests; allow an additional 30 minutes.

Plating

Keeping the vegetables beside the chicken rather than underneath preserves their browned surfaces. Spoon the fruity juices only around the chicken and onions.

Instructions

1. Arrange the chicken with the onion and plum wedges on one side of a large platter, or divide among four plates. Spoon a little pan juice around the chicken without soaking the skin.
2. Place the sunchokes and Brussels sprouts in separate clusters alongside. Keep the walnut pieces and pomegranate drizzle visible on top of the sprouts.
3. Finish the chicken and fruit generously with torn mint and serve any remaining pan juices separately.

Leftover Path

Separate storage lets the roasted vegetables regain some crispness while the chicken reheats gently in its juices.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate within 2 hours, storing the chicken with its onions, plums, and juices separately from the roasted vegetables. Keep any remaining walnuts and mint separate. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat chicken, onions, and plums in a covered baking dish at 325°F with a splash of water until the chicken reaches 165°F. Uncover briefly at the end if desired.
3. Reheat the sunchokes and Brussels sprouts on a sheet pan at 425°F for 10–15 minutes. Add reserved walnuts and fresh mint after reheating.
4. Alternatively, shred cold chicken and serve with chopped plums and onions over crisp greens, using the pan juices and a little vinegar as a dressing.