Community recipe
Smoky Chicken Thighs with Crispy Chickpeas, Roasted Fennel & Lemon-Fennel Yogurt
Juicy smoky-spiced chicken thighs share the oven with crisp chickpeas, sweet roasted fennel, and caramelized sweet potato, finished with a bright lemon yogurt studded with fresh fennel frond.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potato, scrubbed, dried, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
- 3 tbsp olive oils
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground if available
- 2 tbsp fennel fronds, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 garlic, peeled and finely grated
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juices, freshly squeezed
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Heat the oven and prepare the produce
Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, then heat it to 425°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Scrub and dry 1 lb sweet potatoes, then cut them into 1/2-inch pieces. Trim, halve, core, and cut 1 large fennel bulb into 1/2-inch wedges. Drain, rinse, and dry 15 oz canned chickpeas very thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Pat 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs dry; do not rinse them. Keep the chicken on a separate plate, then wash hands and sanitize the work surface. | Why: Dry surfaces brown rather than steam, while separating the raw chicken prevents cross-contamination.
- 02
Season and roast the chicken, vegetables, and chickpeas
Place the sweet potatoes and fennel on one lined sheet and the chickpeas on the second. Drizzle 3 tbsp olive oil over both pans. Sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp black pepper over the vegetables, chickpeas, and chicken; use about two-thirds on the vegetables and chickpeas and the remainder on the chicken. Toss the vegetables and chickpeas separately until coated, then spread everything in a single layer. Nestle the seasoned chicken among the vegetables, leaving space between the pieces. Roast for 15 minutes, rotating both pans front to back and swapping rack positions halfway through. | Why: Splitting the seasoning seasons every component, and rotating the pans compensates for oven hot spots.
- 03
Make the lemon-fennel yogurt
While the pans roast, finely chop 2 tbsp fennel frond. Finely grate the zest from 1 lemon, then halve it and squeeze out the juice. Peel and finely grate 1 clove garlic. In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup plain Greek yogurt with the chopped fennel frond, lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, garlic, and the reserved portion of the seasoning until smooth. Taste and adjust with a small pinch of the reserved salt if needed; set the sauce aside. | Why: Lemon and fennel frond give the cool yogurt a fresh, aromatic contrast to the smoky roast.
- 04
Finish roasting and rest the chicken
After the first 15 minutes, stir the chickpeas and turn the fennel and sweet potato pieces for even browning. Return both pans to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chickpeas are crisp and deep golden, the vegetables are browned and tender when pierced, and the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and rest it for 5 minutes. If the chickpeas need more color, leave their pan in the oven during the chicken’s rest. | Why: Resting keeps the chicken juicy, while the extra oven time lets the chickpeas become properly crisp.
- 05
Plate and serve
Divide the roasted sweet potatoes, fennel, and chickpeas among 4 shallow bowls. Slice the rested chicken and arrange it over the vegetables. Spoon the lemon-fennel yogurt generously over and alongside each portion, then serve immediately while the chickpeas are crisp and the chicken is warm. | Why: Serving the sauce at the end preserves its cool, tangy contrast and the chickpeas’ crunch.
