Crispy Lemon-Caper Chicken + Rainbow Roasted Carrots

Plus an easy dinner staple (garlic rice) and a light but delicious eggplant parmesan

This week I made a version of the Crispy Lemon and Caper Chicken (served with an orzo and feta salad in this post) with spice dusted rainbow carrots on labneh. The carrots and chicken cook at the same time (and same temp) which makes it a perfect easy weeknight dinner in my book. I love crispy, golden-brown roasted chicken and veggies that requires almost no effort. My favorite method—using a scorching hot cast iron skillet and zero oil—delivers perfectly crisp skin and juicy meat every time. I do this with a whole chicken almost every Sunday, but on a weeknight, pieces (legs, thighs, breasts) are more practical.

Tossing in bright, briny capers and lemon makes everything a little more interesting. Alternatively you could toss in cherry tomatoes and olives. Or halved shallots, pitted dates and dried apricots….Or keep it classic and kid friendly with just salt and pepper. Super flexible here. While the chicken roasts, you throw a tray of spiced rainbow carrots in the oven, and boom—dinner’s practically done.

The key? Start with dry, well-salted chicken and let the oven do the work. The heat renders out the fat, crisping the skin beautifully without any extra oil. The carrots get tossed with warm, fragrant spices, roasted until caramelized, then finished with fresh herbs and a swoop of creamy labneh or Greek yogurt. The carrots are also a great side dish on their own…

Simple, flavorful, and weeknight-friendly—exactly how we like it. Want more? A simple salad or garlic rice (RECIPE HERE) wouldn’t hurt.

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The other thing I have been making a lot is this Eggplant Parmesan. It’s much closer to the traditional Italian version – no breading, no deep frying, just tender eggplant, bright marinara, and melty cheese. It takes a minute to grill or sautee the sliced eggplant, but after that it all comes together fast, especially if you have a store bought marinara sauce ready:

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Crispy Chicken with Lemon and Capers with Roasted Carrots

Notes:

• The chicken is cooked in the same style as my skillet roast chicken. No oil needed, just a very hot, preheated cast iron skillet and salt.

• Use rainbow or orange carrots

• If you’re using boneless chicken or seperate thighs and drumsticks (as opposed to the whole leg), cooking time will be less (around 20 minutes) - adjust cooking time as needed to get to internal temp of 165 F.

• If you want to include another side, a simple green salad, sliced tomato salad, or garlic rice (RECIPE HERE) would all work fantastically.