Juicy Hen, Smoky Bacon, and Candy Apples Make the Final Fall Sheet-Pan Dinner

Sheet-pan dinners are in style for a purpose: They accomplish lots with comparatively little effort. Nonetheless, it is necessary to strategy them thoughtfully, as totally different proteins and greens prepare dinner at totally different charges—and nailing the cooking time and temperature might be tough. One of the best sorts of sheet-pan dinners are these with balanced flavors and textures, the place the greens are tender and the protein is not overcooked. This roast hen recipe ticks all of the bins: smoky bacon; tender, caramelized cabbage; and tender apple cubes for sweetness. These components prepare dinner alongside crisp, juicy hen thighs and are available collectively for a satisfyingly schmaltzy dinner infused with the smoky sweetness of the bacon and apples. 

This meal matches squarely right into a style of hen dinners I really like that mix candy, savory, and tangy flavors. Some favorites embrace the well-known hen Marbella, initially discovered within the Silver Palate Cookbook; hen inasal, the Filipino grilled hen I grew up consuming at household barbecues; and my honey-mustard hen thighs. All of those dishes embrace an excellent dose of vinegar and a few type of sugar, delivering a daring but balanced taste profile. On this recipe, these flavors come by the use of a easy pan sauce, which requires little greater than stirring vinegar and maple syrup into the rendered fats left on the sheet pan after cooking.

Placement Issues

The important thing to success right here is to thoughtfully arranging the components on the pan. Bacon positioned too near the opposite components can steam and switch soggy, however protecting it within the middle of the pan, by itself, supplies ample circulation and permits it to turn out to be crisp and caramelized.

For properly browned hen, I set it atop the cabbage wedges and apples to maintain it above any moisture the greens and fruit could launch as they prepare dinner. Inserting the hen across the pan’s perimeter, the place it is hottest, ensures extra-crispy pores and skin, and permits the rendered fats to drip right down to the cabbage under.

Make a Scrumptious Pan Sauce

Once I made this dish for the primary time, I felt one thing was lacking. The apples added a stunning sweetness and a touch of acidity, however I needed these flavors to be extra pronounced all through the dish. I thought of including a marinade or rub to assist infuse the meat with extra taste. However once I seemed on the empty pan, nonetheless scorching from the oven and coated in a mix of hen and bacon fats, together with caramelized bits of cabbage and apple, I all of a sudden noticed the potential for a flavorful pan sauce.

I drizzled slightly maple syrup into the nice and cozy pan, then added a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I gave the pan an excellent combine, scraping up the brown, caramelized bits, then poured it everywhere in the hen, cabbage, and apples. I used to be shocked at simply how tasty the outcome was. The easy sauce unified the dish’s parts, marrying the flavors and including a wealthy smokiness from the bacon fats. It took practically all my willpower to not slurp the sauce straight from my plate.

Whereas the dish is pleasant by itself, I like to recommend serving it alongside a starch of some type to take in the sauce. A crusty piece of buttered bread or a handful of crispy roast potatoes are my favorites, although orzo, couscous, or a cooked grain, resembling farro, would work properly too. And for those who do wish to slurp up that sauce? Go forward—I will not decide.

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