Spicy Marmalade Chicken& Sweet Potatoes
A sticky-sweet, spicy-savory sheet pan dinner that turns pantry staples into something special.
Marmalade might not be the first thing that comes to mind for a chicken marinade, but its sweet, citrusy edge is exactly what makes this dish stand out. Balanced with fish sauce, soy, and a kick of crushed red pepper, it caramelizes beautifully in the oven alongside tender roasted sweet potatoes. It's a hands-off sheet pan dinner with big flavor, and with chicken thighs on sale this week, it's a great night to make it.
Ingredients
Directions
Make the marinade.In a large bowl, whisk together the marmalade, scallion whites, fish sauce, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper.
Marinate the chicken.Season the chicken lightly with salt, then rub the garlic over the pieces and under the skin. Add the chicken to the bowl and turn to coat in the marinade. Let it sit while you prep the potatoes — up to 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours refrigerated.
Preheat the oven.Heat the oven to 425°F. If you'd like easier cleanup, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil — the marmalade will likely scorch a bit at the edges as it roasts.
Start the sweet potatoes.Toss the sweet potatoes on the sheet pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Spread into a single layer and roast for 10 minutes.
Finish the marinade.Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the chicken bowl. Zest the lime into the bowl, then halve it and squeeze in the juice from one half, saving the other half for serving. Toss well to coat.
Roast together.Nestle the chicken, skin side up, among the sweet potatoes, making sure the chicken touches the pan rather than sitting on top of the potatoes. Spoon any extra marinade over everything and roast, tossing the potatoes once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through and caramelized and the potatoes are soft, 25 to 35 minutes. Taste and add more salt or lime juice as needed.
Finish and serve.Top with the scallion greens and serve with the reserved lime wedges.
✦ Cook's Note
Letting the chicken marinate a few hours ahead — rather than the minimum 30 minutes — really deepens the flavor and helps the marmalade glaze cling and caramelize more evenly in the oven.