A feast of seasonal flavors in this recipe from Food52.
Ingredients:
1 3-4 pound chicken
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup hot honey (regular honey works, too—add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, if desired)
6 T salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 1/2 pound small potatoes
Kosher salt and finely ground black pepper
1 t sweet paprika
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cupgreen peas (thawed if frozen)
Unwrap the chicken and pat it dry all over. Fold the chicken wings back and tie the legs to prepare it for roasting.
In a small pot, combine the rhubarb and honey. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the rhubarb breaks down entirely—you should be able to mash the mixture relatively smooth with your stirring utensil.
Transfer to a medium bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add the butter to the warm (but not hot!) rhubarb mixture, and mix to combine.
Place the potatoes in a single layer in the base of a 9-inch cast iron skillet (a larger size works, too, but don’t go any smaller). Spoon 1 ½ tablespoons of the rhubarb butter on top of the potatoes. (At this point, you can stick the rest of the rhubarb butter in the fridge to reach a more spreadable consistency.) Transfer the skillet to the oven and heat to 375°F. Leave there for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the butter has fully melted.
While the potatoes are in the oven, season the chicken with salt and pepper, generously slather with the remaining rhubarb butter, applying it both under and on top of the skin, and finish with paprika and cayenne.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and toss until all of them are coated with butter. Season with salt and pepper, and spread into an even layer. Add the seasoned, buttered chicken on top of the potatoes and transfer the skillet back to the oven. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes. Baste the chicken as it roasts (every 15 to 20 minutes or so). After it’s been in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, raise the oven temperature to 425°F, baste the chicken, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F and the juices run clear (this will take about 15 minutes).
When the chicken is done, remove it from the skillet and place on a cutting board. Cover it with foil and let rest.
Return the skillet with the potatoes to the oven for 10 minutes, then stir in the peas and roast for 5 minutes more.
Carve the chicken and serve alongside a spoonful of potatoes and peas.
