Our friend Esther is blessed with a busy life (a lot of chesed and volunteering) and a home filled with family and lots of friends. She is the queen of setting up beautiful, bountiful buffets, effortlessly feeding a ton of people.

I laugh whenever I think of her famous dish “Shut Up and Eat Chicken” and her menu options “Take it or leave it!”

Honestly, when it comes to chicken, I’ll shut up and take it.

At my home, chicken is on the menu every Friday night. I can serve soup, salads, fish but a roasted chicken is always the star of the meal. I know it will get eaten. It’s easy to prepare, and endlessly adaptable to different flavors, depending on my mood.

My mother always served a simple, comforting dish of roasted chicken with potatoes. She flavored the chicken with saffron and white wine and that aromatic smell felt like the essence of Shabbat.

I was always served the chicken breast and I would take a few bites. But I really loved the potatoes and I especially loved dipping my challah in the rich, savory caramelized juices.

For this recipe, I whisk together Dijon mustard, white wine, olive oil, salt and lemon juice for the marinade. In a large roasting pan, I layer thinly sliced onions and heirloom carrots, place the chicken pieces on top, and tuck in slices of lemon and orange, I add a whole head of garlic and slice the top off so it gets golden and soft. I pour the marinade over everything and add a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

The chicken goes into a hot oven at 425°F for 20 minutes which gives it a marvelous golden crisp skin. Then I lower the heat to 350°F and roast the covered chicken for an hour. For the last 15 minutes, I uncover the chicken, so the skin can finish browning.

When the chicken comes out of the oven, the smell is incredible. The citrus has caramelized, the onions and carrots are transformed into irresistibly sweet and savory morsels.  I tuck the croutons all around and under the chicken, so the juices get soaked up and the croutons are golden and just a little chewy from the pan juices. It’s not a complicated recipe simple, familiar, and it always works. The citrus gives it a brightness that keeps it from feeling heavy, and the croutons make it just a little more special.

—Rachel

Have you seen the cartoon where the turkey is upset that it’s Thanksgiving soon?

His chicken buddy retorts “Have you heard of Shabbos?”

Chicken is the classic dish of Shabbat. But this chicken recipe is special enough to serve on Thanksgiving, if you don’t feel like going the turkey route.

All the magic is in the stuffing. The combination of soft fluffy bread doused in the umami flavor of roasted chicken juices is just irresistible.

—Sharon

Chicken and Marinade

8-10 bone-in chicken pieces

1 large onion, thinly sliced

6-8 small heirloom carrots

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 orange, thinly sliced 

1 whole head of garlic

3–4 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt

Marinade:

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 tsp salt

Pepper, to taste

Croutons:

1 baguette, sliced into thick rounds

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

Marinate & Roast:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Whisk together the Dijon mustard, white wine, olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

In a large roasting pan, scatter sliced onions and carrots across the bottom.

Arrange chicken pieces on top and tuck in lemon and orange slices in between the chicken, slice the top of the head of garlic off and add to center of the pan.

Pour the marinade over everything and add sprigs of thyme.

Roast uncovered for 20 minutes, then cover with foil, reduce heat to 350°F, and bake for one hour.

Uncover and roast for another 15 minutes, until golden and caramelized.

Make the Croutons:

Toss baguette slices with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.

Bake at 400°F for about 10-15 minutes, until golden.

Let cool completely so they stay crisp.

Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Follow them
on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food. Website sephardicspicegirls.com/full-recipes.