Cherry-Glazed Roast Half Chicken with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus

This elegant dinner brings together a perfectly roasted half chicken with a luscious cherry pan sauce, creamy mashed potatoes and tender asparagus. Start your meal with delightful lemon ricotta crostini drizzled with honey and topped with pistachios.

Every component is designed to impress, yet the steps are straightforward for a home cook. The chicken roasts to golden perfection while you prepare the sides and the cherry sauce adds a sweet-tart finish that ties everything together.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Cherry JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce Green BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce PistachiosView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Ricotta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce AsparagusView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon HoneyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Half ChickenView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Demi-BaguetteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice baguette crosswise into 8 rounds. Zest and quarter lemon. Roughly chop pistachios. Place baguette rounds on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toast until golden, 5-10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, juice from one lemon wedge and lemon zest to taste; season with salt and pepper. Spread onto toasted baguette rounds, drizzle with honey and garnish with pistachios. Set aside.
3. Trim woody ends from asparagus. Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Thinly slice scallions, separating whites and greens. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pat chicken dry, season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place chicken skin-side up on one side of the sheet.
4. Roast chicken on middle rack until cooked through and skin is browned, 40-50 minutes. If skin browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil. When 12 minutes remain, remove sheet, toss asparagus on empty side with oil, salt and pepper and roast until tender, 10-12 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a pot with salted water to cover by 2 inches. Boil until tender, 10-15 minutes. Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid, drain and return potatoes to pot. Add half the sour cream and 1 tbsp butter; mash until smooth, adding reserved liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Keep covered.
6. When chicken is almost done, heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium-high. Add scallion whites; cook until softened, 1 minute. Stir in cherry jam, stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining sour cream and 1 tbsp butter. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Sprinkle chicken and mashed potatoes with scallion greens. Serve chicken with asparagus, mashed potatoes and cherry pan sauce.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use boneless chicken thighs instead of a half chicken?

Yes, boneless thighs will work. Adjust cooking time to about 25-30 minutes and ensure they reach 165°F.

Can I make the cherry sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely. Prepare the sauce up to 2 days in advance and reheat gently before serving.

What can I substitute for cherry jam?

Any berry jam or preserves, such as raspberry or strawberry, will work well.