Oregano Chicken & Olive Pan Sauce with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Onion & Spinach

Step 1

1 Prepare & roast the vegetables Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Line a sheet pan with foil. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Halve and peel the onion; cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges, keeping the layers intact. Transfer to the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 19 to 21 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven.

Step 2

2 Prepare the remaining ingredients Meanwhile, pit and roughly chop the olives. Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a bowl, whisk together the date syrup, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, and 1/4 cup of water until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Place the spinach in a separate bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Step 3

3 Cook the chicken Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the oregano. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board.*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 165°F for chicken.

Step 4

4 Make the pan sauce In the pan of reserved fond, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped olives and as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the date-lemon sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the sauce is slightly thickened. Turn off the heat; stir in the butter until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Step 5

5 Finish the vegetables & serve your dish Carefully top the roasted vegetables with the seasoned spinach in an even layer. Return to the oven and roast 3 to 5 minutes, or until the spinach is mostly wilted. Remove from the oven. Evenly top with the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the sliced chicken with the finished vegetables. Top the chicken with the pan sauce. Enjoy!

Step 6

1 Prepare & roast the vegetables Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Line a sheet pan with foil. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Halve and peel the onion; cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges, keeping the layers intact. Transfer to the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 19 to 21 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven.

Step 7

2 Prepare the remaining ingredients Meanwhile, pit and roughly chop the olives. Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a bowl, whisk together the date syrup, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, and 1/4 cup of water until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Place the spinach in a separate bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Step 8

3 Cook the chicken Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the oregano. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board.*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 165°F for chicken.

Step 9

4 Make the pan sauce In the pan of reserved fond, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped olives and as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the date-lemon sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the sauce is slightly thickened. Turn off the heat; stir in the butter until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Step 10

5 Finish the vegetables & serve your dish Carefully top the roasted vegetables with the seasoned spinach in an even layer. Return to the oven and roast 3 to 5 minutes, or until the spinach is mostly wilted. Remove from the oven. Evenly top with the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the sliced chicken with the finished vegetables. Top the chicken with the pan sauce. Enjoy!