Roast Chicken With Dried Fruit And Almonds

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 lbs onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lb pitted prune, halved
• 12 ounces pitted dates, halved
• 10 ounces dried apricot halves (about 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 (4 -4 1/2 lb) roasting chickens, rinsed, patted dry
• 1 teaspoon turmeric, divided
• 1 1/2 cups water (or more)
• 1/2 cup blanched slivered almond, toasted

Recipe

• 1 heat 6 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• 2 add onions and sauté until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• 3 transfer onions to large bowl; mix in prunes, dates, apricots, sugar, and cinnamon.
• 4 do ahead can be made 1 day ahead.
• 5 cover and chill.
• 6 preheat oven to 350°f spread fruit mixture over bottom of large roasting pan.
• 7 tuck chicken wing tips under.
• 8 rub each chicken with 1/2 tablespoon remaining olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
• 9 sprinkle each with salt and pepper; place chickens, side by side, atop fruit mixture. pour 11/2 cups water around chickens.
• 10 roast chickens 1 hour.
• 11 turn pan around; add more water to fruit mixture by 1/4 cupfuls if beginning to dry.
• 12 continue to roast chickens until brown and juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 45 minutes.
• 13 transfer chickens to carving board; let stand 10 minutes.
• 14 spoon fruit onto platter; top with chickens and any accumulated juices.
• 15 sprinkle with almonds and serve.