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Sheet-Pan Chicken with Zucchini and Garlicky Tomato Relish

This all-in-one dinner starts out minimalist — just chicken pieces, zucchini, and shallot chunks tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting. But as the chicken and vegetables brown beautifully in the oven, you make the most of your time, prepping an herb-packed, garlic-spiked cherry tomato relish. The final trick? Using that relish to deglaze the sheet pan after it comes out of the oven, blunting the bite of the vinegar and garlic and softening the tomatoes just enough to bloom all the flavors.

Ingreadient

    • 1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, patted dry and cut into 6 pieces, or 3 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
    • 4 medium shallots, halved lengthwise
    • 3 medium zucchini, diagonally cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
    • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
    • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
    • 2 medium garlic cloves, grated (about 1 teaspoon)

Direction

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Rub chicken all over with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss together shallots, zucchini, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Scatter zucchini mixture around chicken.
  2. Bake 25 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through bake time. Increase oven temperature to broil. (Do not remove baking sheet from oven.) Broil until chicken is cooked through and skin is lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
  3. While chicken roasts, stir together tomatoes, vinegar, tarragon, garlic, and remaining 6 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon salt.
  4. Transfer chicken and zucchini mixture to a platter. Immediately add tomato mixture to hot baking sheet (alternatively, you can scrape the pan juices from the baking sheet into a medium saucepan and then stir in the tomato mixture), and place over medium. Using a flat wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up browned bits from bottom of baking sheet while tomatoes release their juices. Immediately pour tomato salsa over chicken and vegetables, and serve.