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Chicken, Pears and Arugula

Chicken, Pears and Arugula

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Yield: 4

Adapted from: NY Times

In this hearty sheet-pan meal, thick pear wedges and chicken thighs seasoned with earthy, warming spices are roasted until soft and tender. During the last five minutes, crunchy sunflower seeds are scattered on the pan to sizzle in the pan juices, gaining a salty flavor that balances out the sweetness of the pears. A final topping of arugula soaks up any lingering juices and turns this into a full-on meal. Using firm, not-quite-ripe pears prevents them from becoming mushy and falling apart during the cooking process. Swap baby spinach for the arugula and sherry vinegar for the lemon juice, depending on what you have on hand. Serve any leftovers on a bed of fresh arugula, dressed with lemon and olive oil.

  • 6skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (2½ to 3 lb)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • ½tsp red-pepper flakes
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1tsp coriander
  • 1TBS grated fresh ginger from a 2-inch piece
  • 3TBS olive oil
  • 2firm, semi-ripe Bartlett or Bosc pears, cored and quartered lengthwise
  • 2TBS raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 2packed cups baby arugula
  • 1lemon, halved
  • ¼cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped (optional)

Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the center.

Pat the chicken dry and trim excess fat and skin.

Sprinkle all over with 2 tsp salt, and season with pepper.

In a small bowl, mix the red-pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, ginger and oil.

On a sheet pan, rub the chicken and pears all over with the mixture. Arrange chicken skin-side up and pears skin-side down. Cook until the chicken is cooked through (165°F at the thickest part) and the pears are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes, add the sunflower seeds to the pan.

If there’s a lot of fat when finished cooking, tilt the pan and spoon it off until there’s a light coating on the surface of the pan.

Scatter the arugula on top and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon over the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with herbs, if using.

Cut the remaining lemon half in quarters and serve.

Poached Pears with Caramel Sauce

Poached Pears with Caramel Sauce

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Yield: 6 Servings

Recipe from Elizabeth E. Skipper
  • 6Anjou or Bartlett pears – ripe
  • 1⅓cup sugar & water to cover in baking dish
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • 8-12oz heavy cream
  • plum brandy, or another liqueur


Core the pears and peel, leaving on the stem. Put the sugar and water in a baking dish and place the pears on this bed. It does not matter if the sugar is not dissolved. Sprinkle over the lemon juice. Place in a 350-400°F oven, uncovered.

After the first fifteen, minutes, begin basting the pears with the pan juices every ten minutes. This ensures they do not dry out. Continue cooking until tender when pierced with a toothpick – knives leave large marks – probably thirty minutes total, but this depends upon the ripeness of the pears. Do not allow the pan juices to burn!

When tender, remove from the oven and set the pears in a serving dish. Whisk enough heavy cream into the caramelized pan juices to create a nice sauce consistency, flavor with the liqueur or brandy, and serve lukewarm.