It’s rhubarb season and I’m embarking on using this colourful vegetable in savoury and sweet dishes. Its tangy or tart flavour makes for an interesting contrast, especially in this recipe.
To counterbalance the tanginess, I used sweet orange juice and orange pieces, plus I incorporated white potatoes. I know many of you on Paleo do not use the potato at all; however we do eat it occasionally. If you do not want to use it, another mild-flavoured tuber can be substituted.
The chicken comes out tender and juicy even with the longer cooking time due to the marinade. In fact, I ate the leftovers for breakfast the following day; and even after heating it up in the microwave (yes! horrible of me!), it was still not dry.
I hope you give it a try…and also embark on experimenting with this interesting vegetable.
- 1 kilo (approx. 2 lbs) chicken pieces (I used thighs)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 head garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
- 1/3 cup orange juice, freshly squeesed
- 1 whole orange, sliced thinly, reserve a few slices for garnishing
- 3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces, or diced
- 3 stalks rhubarb, rinsed and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
- For the marinade, prepare the night before or early in the morning:
- Rinse the chicken pieces and set aside.
- Peel the garlic cloves; and using a mortar and pestle, ground all of them. (To make the task easier, I cut them in half lengthwise, so they do not “jump” out of the mortar, as I’m grinding with the pestle.)
- Add the sea salt and pepper and crack until small pieces are formed.
- Add the herbs, olive oil and orange juice and mix well. (If your mortar is not large enough, transfer to a bowl or plastic bag, which you’ll use later to store the chicken in the fridge for marination.)
- Transfer the chicken pieces to a plastic bag, large enough to hold all the pieces and the marinade.
- Pour the marinade into the bag as well, seal, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4-5 hours.
- Cooking the dish:
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).
- Place the potato and rhubarb in an oven proof cooking dish.
- Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and the vegetables.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, turning the chicken over occasionally, until the chicken is done and the potatoes are tender.
- About half way through, add the slices of orange, and continue cooking.
It looks like you’re using boneless chicken thighs, is that correct?
No, Amy, they have bones! 😉
Thank you! I’m making these now and am so excited to use my rhubarb!
The spice combo was a popular hit at our house, and the rhubarb – hidden in the potatoes – was barely noticeable, yet a faint hint of tartness made it unique. It was also really easy to make, so perfect for the weekday meal. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I’m happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the dish! I love rhubarb and loved this combination as well. Have you tried the pizza with rhubarb coulis and spiced goat cheese that I have on the blog? you might like that too. Thank YOU for trying my recipe and sharing your thoughts! Debra xx
1 kilogram = ~2 lbs, but your recipe states that its only 1/2 lb…
Hi Stephanie,
OMG! Thank you for catching that mistake! I’ve just corrected the recipe.