This is a one-dish dinner that’s great for those trying to stay away from processed foods (either because of Passover traditions, or for health reasons). It uses basic ingredients and flavors, and will make your house smell fantastic.


[Disclaimer: I had a hard time photographing this one; it tastes a lot better than it looks in the photo.]


You’ll need chicken, potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions. Cube the potatoes and sweet potatoes, and dice one of the onions. Toss them with the salt and oil and put them in the bottom of the pan.


Now it’s time to prepare the sauce. Squeeze the oranges and pour the juice, with the pulp, into a pot. Add the wine and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer over a low flame for about 8–10 minutes, so the syrup can thicken.


Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and pour on the syrup. (I photographed only 2 pieces of chicken, but you need 4 pieces for the recipe.)


Slice the second onion into rings and pile it on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with salt.


And that’s it, you’re ready to bake it. Wrap the pan tightly with foil, and bake at 300° F for 2–2½ hours. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 400° F and bake for another 30–60 minutes, until the chicken crisps up.

When it’s ready, the potatoes and sweet potatoes should be soft and almost caramelized from the syrup, and the chicken should be falling-off-the-bone soft, with a crispy top. Once you get it in the oven, this dish requires very little attention, so it’s a good one for a busy day. Just set a timer so you don’t forget to uncover it for that last hour or so.

Great for Passover, but of course you can make it year-round as well. It reheats well, but don’t freeze this one. Potatoes and sweet potatoes don’t do well in the freezer.

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken legs
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 4 medium potatoes
  • 2 onions
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt
  • Juice and pulp of 1 large orange (approximately ¾ cup)
  • ½ cup sweet red wine
  • 2 tbsp. sugar

Directions:

  1. Juice the orange and pour it into a pot, pulp included. Add the wine and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and let the mixture simmer for 8–10 minutes.
  2. Peel and dice the potatoes, sweet potatoes and one onion. Toss them with the oil and salt and put them on the bottom of the pan.
  3. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes, and pour the orange juice and wine mixture over it. Cut the second onion into rings and pile the rings over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt.
  4. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake at 300° F for 2–2½ hours, then uncover, turn the oven up to 400° F and bake for another 30–60 minutes.

Serves 4


What’s your favorite one-pan stick-in-the-oven-and-forget-about-it dish?