Name: Spice-Roasted Chicken and Pears
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1 3.5-4 pound roasting chicken, cut into 8 pieces; 1 tablespoon chili flakes; 6 whole cloves; 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half; 2 tablespoon brown sugar, packed; 2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger; 2 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon coarse salt; 2 clove garlic, chopped; 2 tablespoon canola oil; 2 firm ripe USA Pears, such as Red Anjou or Bartlett, cut into 8 10 slices each

Spice-Roasted Chicken and Pears

By: USA Pears

Spice-Roasted Chicken and Pears

By: USA Pears

This recipe for Spice-Roasted Chicken and Pears makes for a wonderful fall or winter meal. The easy chicken recipe is infused with spices like whole cloves, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. As the chicken cooks your home will fill with the most amazing smells. As the chopped pears cook with the chicken, they take on the same delicious flavor profile.
The chicken and pears are roasted at a high temperature in order to ensure a perfect crust forms. The temperature is reduced as you cook the chicken longer to make sure the inside of the chicken is moist and juicy. After roasting, the chicken is served with the pears spooned over it to create a great presentation and tasty bite. This dinner recipe can easily be adapted to make all white meat or all dark meat chicken if you prefer.

Notes

Discover easy pear recipes for dinner and dessert in this handy recipe collection from USA Pears.

Serves4 People

Preparation Time14 min

Cooking Time1 hr

Cooking MethodOven

Cooking Vessel SizeRoasting Pan

Ingredients

1 3.5-4 pound roasting chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 tablespoon chili flakes
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 firm ripe USA Pears, such as Red Anjou or Bartlett, cut into 8 10 slices each

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, chili flakes, ginger, canola oil, and mix to combine. Add the chicken and the pears and toss to coat.
Spread the chicken and pear mixture out into a roasting pan in a single layer, placing the chicken pieces skin-side up.
Roast the chicken for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Serve immediately with the pear slices, pan juices, and spices spooned over the top.