Weeknight Dinner: Roasted Chicken with Romesco

I’m heading in to a busy week of work, kid activities, and getting ready for the Easter holiday. In the midst of all of the chaos, I need easy recipes that are full of flavor, healthy, and can be on the table in under an hour. I’ve long been a fan of weeknight meals using roasted chicken because of it’s amazing versatility and recently developed this recipe for Roasted Chicken with Romesco that has quickly become a family favorite. 

The key to this quick and easy recipe is taking advantage of the flavor and higher fat content of chicken thighs (and bonus – they are cheaper, too!) and some simple spices to make the meal taste like you’ve been cooking all day! The chicken is lightly coated with olive oil and then a mixture of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Roasted for 20-25 minutes, I topped the chicken with our Easy Romesco Sauce for an extra flavor punch. Don’t be afraid to make a large batch – it is great cut up for salads or reheated the next day for an easy lunch!

I frequently make this into a full sheet pan meal by adding some chopped red potatoes to the pan. They get cooked in some of the fat drippings from the chicken and soak up all that extra flavor! One tip if you decide to add the potatoes – be sure to cut them into bite sized pieces or start them roasting (coated in some olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper) about 15-20 minutes ahead of chicken if you want them crispy. Simply pop the seasoned chicken on top of the par-baked potatoes and return the whole thing to the oven for another 25 minutes or so, just until the chicken is cooked through.

If you haven’t already made a batch of our Easy Romesco Sauce, now is the time to get out your food processor. You can find the recipe here. I like to keep a few small jars in the freezer to have on hand for really crazy nights, but the sauce only takes a few minutes to make from ingredients you likely have in your pantry so don’t be afraid to give it a go even on the craziest of days. Top each piece of chicken with a generous amount of romesco and serve with a simple green salad! Dinner is done.