Sheet-Pan Sumac Chicken with Plums and Halloumi
5 colorsTHE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
I’ve been on a halloumi kick since I learned a great halloumi sheet pan searing trick (read on for said trick) from a Molly Baz brunch recipe so I wanted to develop a sheet pan lunch or dinner recipe with halloumi, that was easy enough to make on a weeknight but also fun enough to serve when entertaining. The halloumi adds a little saltiness to the sweet plums and then the sumac and fennel give it so much flavor.
Since plum season (through early October) is starting to come to a close for most of the United States and I’m not ready to fully embrace fall yet, I also wanted to do a recipe that honors that juicy little number.
A quick aside on the nutritional benefits of plums - fun fact they contain over 15 different vitamins and minerals, in addition to being rich in fiber and antioxidants. Despite plums being a little high in carbs, they don’t cause a substantial rise in blood sugar levels after they are eaten (N=me and also, some research here). This is attributed to their potential to increase levels of adiponectin, a hormone that plays a role in blood sugar regulation.
Serving size: 4-5
Total time: 45 minutes
Prep time = 15 minutes
Cook time = 30 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
MARINADE
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp sumac
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
SHEET PAN INGREDIENTS
4-5 boneless chicken thighs (or you can use breasts or any cut of chicken you want!)
3 ripe plums, pitted and cut into ¾-inch thick slices
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into in ½-inch wedges
8-10oz halloumi cheese, cut into ½-inch thick planks
FINISHING DRESSING AND TO SERVE
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp dried or fresh oregano
1 tsp sumac
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp honey
To serve:
Arugula
2/3 cup torn herbs (mint, basil, cilantro or a combination)
Flakey sea salt
HOW TO DO IT
MAKE THE MARINADE
1. Toast the fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle or put on a cutting board and crush using a can or a jar.
2.Put the seeds into a large bowl (this is where your chicken will go) and stir in lemon juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, sumac, red-pepper flakes and salt.
3. Season chicken generously all over with salt and pepper and add to the bowl, turning the pieces to coat them. Mix in plums and onions. Ideally you’d refrigerate for 30 minutes - 2 hours, but you can also just put it right on the sheet pan and continue onwards!
GET IT ON THE SHEET PAN AND PREP THE REST
4. Preheat oven to 425 °F.
5. Put the chicken pieces, plums, onions on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is nearly done, but not quite done (165°F) yet. While the chicken is roasting, make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients into a small bowl.
ADD HALLOUMI AND FINISH IT UP!
7. Cut halloumi into 1/2 inch planks and blot it dry.
8. Take the sheet pan out at the 12-15 minute mark and nestle the pieces of halloumi on the sheet pan. This is a Molly Baz trick that I LOVE.
Molly Baz trick: Return the baking sheet to the oven floor (yes, the oven floor as in not a rack but right on the bottom of the oven!). This helps with a quick hot searing. Cook for 3-5 minutes, and then remove the sheet pan from the oven floor, and flip the halloumi to the other side. Return to the oven floor for 3-5 minutes more.
Note: If your chicken is done when you are adding or flipping the halloumi, take the chicken off and set aside. I love a meat thermometer here to do a quick check!
Halloumi crispiness trick: If you are finding your halloumi is not getting crispy because pan is too moist, move the halloumi onto one side of the pan and carefully wipe off some of the liquid. This will help it get nice and crispy!
9. Once the halloumi is done, check that your chicken is done (165 °F) if not already and then transfer everything to a platter. Drizzle some of the pan drippings and the dressing over the chicken, add the herbs and flakey sea salt, and serve!
I like serving this over a bed of arugula. Arugula is a little bitter and pepper-y and it tastes DELISH with the plums!
SWAPS, TIPS & TRICKS
SWAPS:
Plums: Don’t have plums? Try using another stone fruit!
Boneless thighs: You can use any cut of chicken here, just be mindful of the size of the meat and then adjust cook time accordingly in step 6.
TIPS
Want to add more fiber to this meal? When serving on top of salad, add in some sliced avocado, or sprinkle on some Zen Basil seeds.
Nutritional Info
Per serving, makes about 4 servings
Calories: 660
Total Fat: 45g
Carbs: 13g
Fiber: 3g
Net Carbs: 10g
Protein: 32g
Sugars: 7g
