Winner, winner, hot honey chicken dinner

By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times

Sometimes we publish a recipe on New York Times Cooking that aligns so perfectly with this feature and our cause — food for busy people who still want something good to eat — that I get excited to tell you about it. That’s the case with Vallery Lomas’ new roasted chicken thighs with hot honey and lime. The ingredients are minimal; the flavors are maximal. It’s easy to put together, makes clever use of staples (garlic and onion powders, honey, hot sauce), and it’s already racking up rave reviews. And really, I just want to have it for dinner as soon as possible, spritzed with lime.

1. Roasted Chicken Thighs With Hot Honey and Lime

These sweet and spicy chicken thighs pack enormous flavor using only a handful of pantry ingredients. Generously seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion and garlic powders, they’re roasted at a high temperature to maximize the crispiness of the skin. Halfway through cooking, the chicken is brushed with a butter-and-hot-sauce blend. Finally, honey and lime zest are whisked into the remaining hot sauce butter to coat the fully baked chicken thighs. A squirt of tangy lime juice provides balance and the perfect finishing touch. Serve with a simple and refreshing cucumber salad or coleslaw.

By Vallery Lomas

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted or salted), melted
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (see Tip)
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons mild honey

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, season the chicken all over with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Arrange the chicken skin side up then roast until browned, 20 minutes.

2. While the chicken is roasting, combine the melted butter and hot sauce and whisk to combine; transfer half to a separate bowl and set aside for later. After the chicken has roasted for 20 minutes, brush the chicken all over with the remaining butter mixture. Continue roasting until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven.

3. Zest the lime, then cut it in half. Add the honey and 1 teaspoon lime zest to the reserved butter-hot sauce mixture and whisk to combine, then brush over the chicken thighs and squeeze the lime juice on top. Serve immediately.

Tip: Different hot sauces have different levels of heat; choose one that suits your heat tolerance. Tabasco will be quite spicy, while a brand like Louisiana will yield a milder result.

2. Roasted Salmon With Peas and Radishes

Salmon and sweet peas are the perfect pairing for a quick and satisfying supper. The salmon is roasted skin-side up, to protect the delicate flesh and keep the fish moist. Peppery radishes mellow during cooking, turning slightly sweet and juicy as they soften. Browned butter, mustard and capers coat the peas and radishes in a tangy sauce, and white miso provides depth. If there’s no miso to be found, just leave it out or sub with a splash of soy sauce.

By Kay Chun

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon or trout fillets
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 bunches radishes with greens (about 1 pound), radishes halved, 1 cup leaves reserved (or 1 pound diced zucchini, or two 14-ounce cans whole artichokes, drained and halved)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas (no need to thaw)
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped dill or parsley

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, coat salmon with 2 tablespoons oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and arrange skin-side up. Roast until fish is just opaque throughout and cooked to medium, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter in remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add halved radishes (not leaves), season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and slightly softened, about 8 minutes. (If using zucchini, you can reduce the cook time to about 5 minutes; if using artichokes, you’ll only need to cook about 3 minutes.) Add 1 cup water, the peas, capers, miso and mustard, and cook, stirring to dissolve the miso and mustard, until peas are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and simmer until a light sauce forms, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in radish leaves and dill.

4. Divide vegetables among plates or shallow bowls and top with salmon. Spoon pan sauce on top and serve warm.

3. Lemony Pasta With Asparagus and White Beans

Marinating canned white beans in lemon juice and zest, along with red-pepper flakes and shallots, imbues them with brightness and a touch of heat, adding so much flavor to this warm-weather pasta. It’s dead simple to make: While the pasta cooks and the beans marinate, sauté the asparagus in olive oil, then use that pan to finish the dish. There’s enough asparagus in the mix to make this a one-pan meal, but serving it with a crisp green salad on the side will add a little crunch and freshness.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large lemon, plus more fresh lemon juice for serving
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed
• 1 shallot, finely diced, or 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
• 3 garlic cloves (2 thinly sliced, 1 finely grated)
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound short pasta, such as campanelle, fusilli or farfalle
• 2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds), ends trimmed, stalks sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• Black pepper

Preparation

1. Grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from half of it on top of the zest. Add the white beans, shallot or onion, grated garlic, red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt and toss well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 2 minutes less than the package directs.

3. Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, then add the asparagus. Sauté until the asparagus is tender and starting to brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt and the sliced garlic and sauté until the garlic is lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

4. Dip a coffee mug or glass measuring cup into the pasta water and scoop out about 1/2 cup of it to use for the sauce. Drain pasta, shaking it well. Add pasta, bean mixture, parsley and Parmesan to sauté pan and cook until the beans are hot and the pasta is al dente. If the mixture looks dry, splash in some (or all) of the reserved pasta water. Squeeze remaining lemon half over pasta, toss and taste. Season with pepper; add more salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice, if desired.

4. Spicy Shrimp Patties

Sweet, delicate shrimp, roughly chopped, make the base for these patties, flavored with spices typical in Desi cooking: chile powder, cumin, garam masala, ginger and garlic. Breadcrumbs soak up any excess moisture, and, along with egg, help bind the ingredients together. The result: a sturdy patty that freezes well (see Tip) and can be pan-fried or even grilled, excellent for summer barbecues. Serve with dollops of mint or mango chutney or both.

By Zainab Shah

Yield: About 10 patties

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and roughly chopped
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 Thai green chiles, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri or other mild red chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup ghee or neutral-tasting oil
• Mint or mango chutney, for serving

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, cilantro, chiles, egg, breadcrumbs, ginger, garlic, chile powder, cumin, garam masala, turmeric and salt and mix until blended. Form patties about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick and set aside (to form the patties more easily, you can pack the mixture into a 1/4-cup measure).

2. Heat ghee in a medium skillet on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, add patties and lower heat to medium. Fry until golden brown and the shrimp turns opaque, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve with mint or mango chutney.

Tip: Frozen shrimp patties can be pan fried without thawing but will need about 2 minutes longer to cook through.

5. Cagaar (Spinach Stew)

Reflecting its main ingredient, cagaar (pronounced “ag-aar”) is both the Somali translation for the color green and a spinach stew. While spinach is the heart of this dish, other vegetables are often included such as okra, carrots, zucchini, or cabbage, depending on one’s preference. This dish almost always utilizes tomatoes as the base, weaving in warm xawaash spices and sparks of mild heat from the jalapeños. This flavorful vegan dish works well over soor (grits), white rice, or alongside suqaar and muufo (corn flatbread).

By Ifrah F. Ahmed

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen cut spinach
• 1 large handful cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons xawaash (see Tip)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 large jalapeño, halved
• 1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt