Sandi Richard shows us how to spice up chicken and potatoes, ready in less than one hour!

Roasted apricot & pesto chicken with baby potatoes and asparagus

Serves 4-6, prep time 15 minutes, ready in 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 20 baby potatoes (2 lbs or 900 g) (or 4 large, cut into chunks – if baby potatoes are large, cut in half)
• 1 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1/2 tsp original, all purpose seasoning, salt-free
• 1 Tbsp apricot jam (or fig or peach jam)
• 2 Tbsp basil pesto
• 4 chicken breasts with skin, bone in (1 3/4 lb or 800 g)
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper for all
• 20 asparagus spears (1 lb or 450 g)
• 1 cup water
• butter (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Wash potatoes and place in a small oven-safe pan on middle rack. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with spice. Toss potatoes until well coated. Place in oven (don’t wait for oven to preheat).
3. Combine jam and pesto in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
4. Lift skin of each chicken breast and spread 1/4 of the mixture under the middle of each skin. Sprinkle tops of chicken breast with pepper. Reduce heat to 400° F.
5. Place chicken in a different oven-safe pan. Place in oven beside potatoes. (You can use one large pan for both, but the potatoes get greasy.)
6. Set timer for 35 minutes or until internal temperature is 170° F in the thickest part of chicken.
7. Snap off bottom nodes of asparagus and discard. Rinse in colander or steamer basket. Place water in the bottom of a stove-top pot. Let stand no heat.
8. Just before chicken and potatoes are ready, bring water to a full boil with the asparagus in the basket above.
9. Cover and set timer for 4 minutes (or microwave in a microwave-safe dish with cover for the 4 minutes).
10. Drain water and toss in pot with butter if you like.
11. When timer rings, remove chicken and potatoes from oven. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through. They are only a few bucks and really help you to know when dinner is ready. (If you want to make the chicken ahead for company, it freezes beautifully raw).

Courtesy Sandi Richard, Anyone Can Cook Dinner