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–+ servings
crispy roasted chicken thighs on baking sheet with slices of fennel, sweet potatoes and red apple
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Chinese Roast Chicken

Chinese roast chicken with fennel and apples is a sheet pan meal that cooks in under an hour. Make this recipe for a flavorful Asian meal!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time55 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 467kcal
Author: Kevin

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on (See Note 1)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 fennel bulb (with feathery stalks)
  • 1 sweet potato peeled and cut into ¼" slices
  • 1 red onion cut lengthwise into ¼" slices
  • 2 Honey Crisp apples (See Note 2)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • pinch red pepper flakes

Basting sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine chicken stock, butter, honey, Chinese Five Spice powder, soy sauce.
  • Cut off fennel stalks and reserve feathery leaves for garnish. Trim base of bulb and tough outer layers. Halve bulb lengthwise, cut out core in a V, and cut bulb lengthwise into ¼" wedges.
  • In a bowl toss the fennel, sweet potato, red onion and apple with oil. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, black and red pepper flakes.
  • Arrange chicken on top, skin side up. Brush half of sauce on chicken. Roast 15 minutes, then baste again with sauce and any pan juices (use a bulb baster or wide spoon). Continue to roast until chicken is nicely browned and no longer pink at bone (cut to test or 165°F), 15 to 20 minutes more. Baste everything again and scatter reserved fennel leaves on top prior to serving.

Notes

  1. Bone-in chicken takes longer to cook than boneless, and the size of the pieces will affect the cook time as well.  On average, bone-in chicken thighs take 30 to 40 minutes to cook at 425. The best and safest way to determine when the chicken is properly cooked is to use a food thermometer.
    Boneless thighs cook quickly. Roast until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20 minutes (so add chicken after 15 minutes of roasting the vegetables). 
  2. Honey Crisp or other firm/tart apples, unpeeled, cored, sliced into ¼-inch wedges.

Nutrition

Sodium: 889mg | Calcium: 86mg | Vitamin C: 15mg | Vitamin A: 8366IU | Sugar: 18g | Fiber: 6g | Potassium: 1033mg | Cholesterol: 177mg | Calories: 467kcal | Trans Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Fat: 20g | Protein: 36g | Carbohydrates: 37g | Iron: 3mg