One Pot Chicken with Dates and Caramelized Lemon

A great customer and friend sent us this recipe she made with our chicken and it sounds DELICIOUS! also seems very easy and different with the combination of sweet dates, tangy lemon and slightly spicy crushed red pepper, I can't wait to try it myself!

Ingredients:

• 1 4 lb. chicken 
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut into thick slices crosswise (about 1/4” thick), seeds removed
• 2 shallots, peeled if you want, halved lengthwise (or one red onion, peeled and cut into wedges)
• 4–6 medjool dates, pitted
• 4 sprigs thyme or oregano, plus extra for serving  
• 1–2  teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium–high heat. Place chicken, breasts side up, and using tongs or your hands (be careful!) press lightly to make sure the skin comes into even contact with the pot. This is your chance to brown the legs! Rarely offered in whole chicken recipes, so take advantage.
3. Cook, without moving, until chicken is nice and browned, 5– 8 minutes. Seriously, no peeking! Nothing exciting will happen before 5 minutes, I promise you.
4. Add lemon slices, maneuvering the chicken however you need so that the slices come into contact with the bottom of the pot.
5. Let the lemons sizzle in the chicken fat until caramelized on one side, about 2 minutes. Add shallots, dates, thyme and 1 cup water. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with crushed red pepper flakes and place the lid on.
6. Place dutch oven in the oven and roast until the dates are plump, the lemon is jammy and the chicken is almost but not totally cooked through, 20–25 minutes (it will look mostly cooked through and a little anemic from getting covered with the lid).
7. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by ½ and the top of the chicken has an illustrious golden-brown color, another 20- 30 minutes.  You can also check if done if juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with knife.
8. Remove from oven and let chicken rest in the dutch oven for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cutting board and carving. Serve alongside shallots, lemons, and dates with some more thyme sprinkled over.  

DO AHEAD: This chicken can be made a few hours ahead, kept in the dutch oven. If you wish to reheat it before serving, pop it back into the oven without a lid for 10–15 minutes or so.

Original recipe credit to: "Nothing Fancy" by Alison Roman