Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 450 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 450 g bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
Produce & Aromatics
- 300 g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into thick 5cm chunks
- 150 g red onion, sliced into 2cm wedges
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves only, roughly chopped
Pantry & Seasoning
- 60 g honey
- 30 ml olive oil
- 8 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 581 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 992 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 214 mg
- Potassium
- 775 mg
- Calcium
- 106 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 57 mg
- Phosphorus
- 390 mg
- Zinc
- 3.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 48 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 33 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.43 mg
- Niacin
- 11.0 mg
- Folate
- 20 mcg
- Water
- 266 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Lightly coat a large roasting pan with a small amount of olive oil.
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, prep the rhubarb and red onion. Do not use rhubarb leaves, as they are toxic; use the stalks only. After handling raw chicken, wash your hands and tools to prevent cross-contamination.
In the roasting pan, combine the chicken thighs, drumsticks, rhubarb, red onion wedges, minced garlic, thyme, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to ensure everything is evenly coated, then arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up on top of the vegetables.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 40 to 45 minutes. The dish is done when the chicken skin is deeply golden, the rhubarb has broken down into a jammy consistency, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 74°C/165°F.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes in the pan before serving. Spoon the pan juices and savory rhubarb-onion sauce over the chicken.
Chef's Notes
- Never consume rhubarb leaves as they contain high levels of oxalic acid and are toxic. Always trim and discard them completely.
- Leaving the skin on and bone in the chicken is crucial for this recipe. The rendered fat from the skin combines with the honey and tart rhubarb juices to create the rich sauce.
- For the best texture, avoid stirring the contents of the pan while roasting. Allowing it to sit undisturbed encourages the chicken skin to crisp and the onions to caramelize.
- If your honey is too thick to toss evenly, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen its consistency before mixing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Rhubarb sauce may change texture and become slightly watery upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180°C/350°F oven for 15 minutes or until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Chicken skin is rubbery instead of crisp
Cause: The pan was overcrowded or rhubarb was placed over the chicken skin, trapping steam
Fix: Place the pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning
Prevention: Ensure chicken is arranged skin-side up and sits slightly above the vegetables
Rhubarb dissolved entirely into a watery puree
Cause: The rhubarb was sliced too thinly before roasting
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the sauce will still taste excellent
Prevention: Cut rhubarb into thick chunks, at least 5cm wide, so they hold some structure
Cultural Context
While modern culinary traditions often treat rhubarb strictly as a fruit destined for pies and crumbles, it is biologically a vegetable with a rich history in savory applications. Its sharp, natural acidity works much like lemon or vinegar, making it a brilliant tenderizer and flavor balancer for rich meats and poultry.
