This could not be easier and will become a winter favourite. The dates and onions bring a delicious sticky sweetness to the savoury chicken and roasting the oranges mean you can even eat the skin. It’s also very pretty to look at.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180ºC (fan).
• Slice the shallots in half lengthways and peel. Halve again so you have four long pieces of each shallot. If you’re using a regular onion, halve and peel it then remove the root as close as you can get to it and cut each half into eight wedges.
• Slice the pitted dates in half lengthways and squash the garlic cloves – no need to peel them.
• Mix the spices in a small bowl.
• Put the shallots/onions, garlic and dates in a roasting tin. Add the chicken thighs, sprinkle with the spices then drizzle with the oil. Rub the oil over the chicken skin and then add the sliced oranges and thyme sprigs and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Mix everything together with your hands to make sure they’re coated in spices and oil.
• Spread out the ingredients so they are, as far as possible, laying in one layer, with the chicken skin-side up.
• Add the stock and wine – pouring it into the tin not over the other ingredients. Roast for 40 - 45 minutes until the chicken skin is crisp and golden brown and the meat cooked through. If everything is getting a bit dark towards the end of the cooking time cover with some foil.
• Serve with topped with some fresh thyme leaves and slices of the extra orange – if using together with roasted potatoes and a crisp green salad.

@victoriaprever

NB: This is great for Pesach but you will need to substitute the cumin for sweet paprika or cinnamon if you avoid kitniyot