Pollo Caramelizado Recipe

Prep and season

Pat the French-cut chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl mix 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Rub the spice mixture evenly under and over the skin and set the chicken on a plate to come to room temperature for 15–20 minutes.

Sear

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet (cast iron if available) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down, pressing lightly so skin makes full contact. Sear without moving 6–8 minutes until deeply browned and crisp. Flip and sear the meat side 2 minutes.

Toss

While chicken comes to temperature, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a bowl toss 2 cups sweet potato cubes, 2 cups halved Brussels sprouts and 1.5 cups turnip cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.

Roast (initial)

Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or the perimeter of the same ovenproof skillet if there’s space. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to begin caramelizing and soften the vegetables.

Make glaze

While the vegetables roast, in a small saucepan melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 4 tbsp light brown sugar and stir until dissolved and bubbling lightly, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened then remove from heat.

Combine and roast to finish

After the vegetables have roasted 15 minutes, remove the pan from oven. If using a separate sheet, transfer vegetables to the skillet around the seared chicken (nestle them but avoid covering skin). Brush or spoon about half the caramel glaze over the chicken skin and vegetables. Return the skillet to the oven and roast 12–18 minutes more, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and vegetables are tender and caramelized.

Caramelize glaze (optional)

If you want a deeper glaze on the chicken, brush the remaining glaze on the chicken and broil on high 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning, until glossed and slightly charred at edges.

Remove skillet from oven and let chicken rest 5 minutes. Drizzle 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice over vegetables and sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped parsley over the whole dish. Spoon any pan juices and residual glaze over the chicken and vegetables. Serve hot.