Panch phoron seeds cling to the chicken and vegetables in this dish to kick it up the flavor
Bengali Five-Spice Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Yunhee Kim
Bengali Five-Spice Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Baked in a very hot oven, the sauce reduces until the panch phoron seeds cling to the chicken and vegetables in chewy nubbins.

SERVES 4 to 6 | 1 HOUR, PLUS AT LEAST 2 HOURS TO MARINATE

  • 2½ tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp. panch phoron
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2½ tbsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 2½ tbsp. minced garlic
  • 2½ tsp. ground coriander
  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1¼ cups plain whole-milk yogurt mixed with 11/2 tsp. flour
  • 4 each bone-in chicken legs and thighs (separated; 2 lbs. total)
  • 1 each red and yellow bell peppers, cut into chunks
  • 2 large carrots, quartered lengthwise, cut into 3-in. pieces
  • 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1.  Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add panch phoron and cook, stirring, until seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium. All at once, add bay leaves, ginger, and garlic; cook, stirring, until ginger softens, about 3 min­utes. Remove from heat, stir in coriander and salt, and let stand until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add yogurt, stir to = loosen browned bits, and let marinade cool.

2. Marinate by putting chicken, bell peppers, and carrots in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag. Scrape in yogurt mixture, seal, and squish to coat. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Bake chicken: Preheat oven to 475° with a rack set in upper third of oven. Put potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and squeeze contents of bag over them. Mix to coat, then pat ingredients into a single layer. Bake, turning food with a wide spatula every 15 to 20 minutes and ending with chicken skin side up, until browned, 40 to 45 minutes.

PER SERVING 377 Cal., 45% (171 cal.) from fat; 25 g protein; 19 g fat (4.6 g sat.); 23 g carbo (3.2 g fiber); 595 mg sodium; 78 mg chol.

 

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