Here’s a way to achieve juicy, crispy-all-over chicken without a rotisserie: Skip the pan and roast the chicken pieces directly on the oven rack. Rub the pieces with smoked paprika for a boost of bold Spanish flavor before popping them in the oven along with the pan of veggies, toss together a simple green salad while they roast, and feast. Serves 4 to 6. Simplified from Jamie Oliver’s “5 Ingredients Mediterranean: Simple Incredible Food.” – Susan Puckett
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon gold or other potatoes, cut in bite-size chunks
2 or 3 sweet bell peppers, cored and cut in bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, extra sprigs (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 ½ to 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or chicken pieces of choice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a small cooling rack on the grates of the middle rack in the oven.
Place potatoes and peppers on a large sheet pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with thyme leaves (if using) along with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and toss well.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken with the other tablespoon of olive oil, vinegar, paprika, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and toss until evenly coated.
Place the pan of vegetables on the bottom rack of the oven and set the chicken pieces skin-side up on the cooling rack directly over the vegetables, allowing the juices to drip through the grates onto the vegetables.
Roast for 30 minutes, pull out pan of vegetables, and give it a good shake. Lay sprigs of thyme over the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast 5 to 10 more minutes, or until chicken and potatoes are fully cooked through. Serve hot.
— Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.