¼ cup fresh orange juice,
plus 1 orange sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
(from 1 to 2 limes)
5 cloves garlic (2 smashed, 3 minced)
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
½ cup fresh mint, plus more for topping
½ cup fresh parsley, plus more
for topping
8 small skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
(about 3 pounds)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 green-yellow plantains, peeled and
cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut through the root
into wedges

1. Combine the orange juice, lime juice, smashed garlic,
   jalapeño, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a
   blender. Puree until combined, then let sit 5 minutes. Turn
   the blender back on and slowly pour in ½ cup olive oil.
   Remove ¼ cup of the mixture and set aside for the marinade.
   Add the mint and parsley to the remaining mixture in the
   blender and puree again until smooth; season with salt and
   pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl; cover and refrigerate.


2. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper.
   Place in a large bowl and add the reserved ¼ cup marinade,
   the minced garlic, cumin and oregano. Rub all over the
   chicken until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.


3. Preheat the oven to 450 ̊. Let the chicken come to room
   temperature while the oven preheats. Toss the plantains and
   red onion on a rimmed baking sheet with the remaining
   2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread
   out on the baking sheet. Nestle the chicken, skin-side up, and
   orange slices among the plantains and onion.


4. Roast until the plantains are tender when pierced with a
   knife, about 20 minutes. Remove the plantains to a cutting
   board and stand them up on a cut side. Flatten the plantains
   with the bottom of a measuring cup or ramekin, then return
   to the baking sheet, setting them flat in the pan juices.


5. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is
   browned, crisp and cooked through, 20 to 25 more minutes.
   Sprinkle with chopped mint and parsley; serve with the sauce.

Try these great new combos—

all you need is a single pan!

for

6 6

SHEET PAN MOJO CHICKEN AND PLANTAINS
ACTIVE: 45 min l TOTAL: 1½ hr (plus marinating) l SERVES: 4

74 FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE ●OCTOBER 2020