OVEN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH GRAPES

16 MINUTES (8 ACTIVE)

4 SERVINGS AND 1 LUNCH THE NEXT DAY

Five-spice powder, the Chinese mixture that most typically contains star anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns, is a big infatuation of mine. Its sweet-spicy aroma somehow conveys a rich meatiness to the ingredients it touches, even when I sprinkle it on vegetables or tofu. It also plays wonderfully off fruit, such as stem-on grapes tossed in the oven alongside chicken breasts to concentrate their sweet-tart juices. The method works wonderfully with plums, too.

•  2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts

•  ½ teaspoon five-spice powder or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

•  Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

•  2 teaspoons olive oil

•  6 shallots, quartered

•  6 sprigs fresh thyme

•  1 large (12-ounce) bunch of red grapes on the stem

•  1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the five-spice powder and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Blot the chicken breasts with paper towels and add them to the pan skin side down; add the shallots. Cook the chicken, undisturbed, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes; turn the shallots frequently to brown on all sides while the chicken cooks. Turn the breasts over and add the thyme and grapes to the pan. Add the vinegar and ¼ cup of water to deglaze the skillet. Season with more salt and pepper.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the grapes just start to wrinkle, about 8 minutes. Serve the chicken with the roasted grapes and shallots alongside and any pan juices spooned on top.