Sheet pan pears and chicken with fresh herbs and caramelized lemon

Prep Time:

10 min

Cook Time:

30 min

Serving Size:

1/4 recipe (260 g)

Dinner

Fresh pears and chicken are the perfect combination. They show off to each other especially with caramelized lemons and fresh herbs.

Ingredients

6 bone-in chicken thighs (2 1/2 to 3 lbs), skin removed
¼ tsp (1 mL) each salt and black pepper
¼ tsp (1 mL) red-pepper flakes
1 tsp (5 mL) cumin
1 tsp (5 mL) coriander
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated fresh ginger from a 2-inch piece
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
2 firm, semi-ripe Bartlett or Bosc pears, cored and quartered lengthwise
2 lemons, 1 halved and 1 quartered (wedges)
2 tbsp (30 mL) sliced raw almonds
2 cups (500 mL) packed spinach
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 450°F, with rack in middle.
Pat the chicken dry and trim any excess fat. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, mix together the red-pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, ginger and oil.
On a sheet pan, rub the chicken, pears and lemon wedges all over with the mixture.
Arrange the chicken flat-side up and pears skin-side down. Cook until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees at the thickest part) and the pears are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, add the almonds to the pan.
Scatter the spinach on a platter and squeeze the lemon halves over it. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Top with chicken, drizzle roasted lemon wedges over and sprinkle with herbs to serve.