Chicken + Plums

Full disclosure, this is a bit of a copycat recipe from the New York Times cooking, but of course, I had to make it just a little bit more simple, and a little bit healthier. Plus, some of the instructions on that recipe result in overcooked plums. No hate, it's one of my daily sources of inspiration. The first time I made this dish I was seriously impressed, and so were my guests. I absolutely love chicken thighs, they are so tender and juicy, and you feel like you are eating something rich and decadent, but they are truly so good for you. The way that the robust flavors of thyme, oregano, and chicken, combine with plums, honey, lemon, and red onion is magical.

Chicken thighs are a protein powerhouse. Each thigh contains 20g of protein, so as a meal, you will get 40 grams here, which is about one-third of the daily recommended protein for active people. Protein helps to build or maintain muscle mass, and it helps your metabolism work more efficiently. If I'm being honest, I didn't prioritize it until pretty recently. When I realized how much protein I wasn't getting, my diet changed dramatically. I was in the process of gaining weight after some personal issues (hello, miscarriages) caused me to lose too much, and the focus on protein really allowed me to do so in a healthy way while feeling amazing. Back to the chicken thighs, they are also a great source of selenium and zinc, and chicken is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine of the amino acids that we cannot produce on our own. Plums and red onions add beautiful flavor and contrast, and the fennel in this recipe helps with digestion and inflammation. Overall, this is a healthy, stunning, crowd-pleasing dish. Let's dig in. You can also watch the video here.

Chicken + Plums

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1/2 red onion, cut into wedges

3 plums, cut into eighths

Fresh thyme and oregano sprigs

1/4 cup of honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

Zest from 1 whole lemon

4 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of nutmeg

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of ground fennel

1/2 tbsp. Red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine the honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, fennel, and red pepper in a large bowl.

2. Add the chicken to the bowl, but first reserve a couple of tablespoons of the marinade. Marinate overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and after taking them out of the marinade, place the chicken pieces on top.

4. Surround the chicken with plums, red onion, and thyme/oregano. Pour the remaining marinade, and any accumulated juices from the bowl over top of everything. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Bake for 40 minutes. The chicken should be golden brown on top.

6. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve chicken, spoon the plums and red onions around the plate.

7. Enjoy! Eat with a salad, or serve with roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes aswith I did, above.