sheet pan roast chicken & potatoes with arugula chimichurri
plus an update from the farm as our CSA season begins
And just like that, the first week of our Spring CSA is in the books!
(For anyone new, we sell our produce through a CSA program, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, where folks sign up and invest in our farm at the beginning of the year, and once the growing season gets rolling, they get a box of fresh produce directly from our farm every week).
Since early February, my crew and I have been preparing beds, seeding, transplanting, irrigating, weeding, and doing alllll the things with little to show for it (except for some very sore muscles), so it’s wildly gratifying to finally see the literal fruits of our labor come together, filling boxes to the brim with vibrant greens for our loyal CSA members. As a CSA farmer, it’s always nerve-wracking to make sure that we have enough produce ready for this first week, and I’m proud (and relived!) that we pulled off a really lovely box of veggies.
Here’s a snapshot of our large CSA share this week (we offer 2 sizes, regular and large), which contained 3 giant heads of lettuce, a big bunch of swiss chard, lacinato kale, arugula, radishes, and edible flowers:
CSA days are fast-paced. There are usually 6-8 different crops to harvest, wash, and prep before they go into each box, and it’s a LOT to tackle in just a few hours. I’d like to think that our produce is known for being very consistent, super clean, and high quality – but as the season gets started, all those small details about how each crop should be harvested/washed/prepped just live in my brain, and in these first few weeks it can be overwhelming to clearly translate all the nuances and specifics to my newer crew members. (For example – each bunch of kale should be harvested to have between 20-22 stems, swiss chard has 15 stems, there are 12 radishes to a bunch, baby kale bags should weigh 8 ounces, etc..).
Now that the harvest season has begun, this little farm will be churning out fresh veggies, herbs, and fruit *every week* until December. (Just writing that last sentence makes me feel tired, but let’s just take it one week at a time, yes?)
It’s a long and whirlwind season ahead, and I’m excited to bring y’all along for the ride, so thank you for reading and for your support. :) I’d love to know – if you have a spring garden or farm, how is your season going so far?
Need some culinary inspiration for the weekend? Here’s my weekly round up of seasonal recipes from around Substack (and from my ever-growing recipe index) to help you eat like a farmer:
Shaved Radish, Fennel & Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Pistachios & Mint from your’s truly :)
Asparagus Salad with Lemon, Hazelnuts and Pecorino from
/Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta & Mint from
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Keep reading for today’s recipe for Sheet Pan Roast Chicken & Potatoes with Arugula Chimichurri.
This newsletter is called Eat Like a Farmer for a reason. Every week, I share a new hyper-seasonal recipe that’s inspired by what I’m actually cooking with the fresh veggies that we harvest on our small farm. And this week, we are *swimming* in a glorious and green sea of ARUGULA.
In the spirit of cooking with what’s in abundance, this week’s recipe is a twist on chimichurri (a punchy, herby green sauce traditionally made with parsley, cilantro, red wine vinegar, olive oil & garlic), where I’m using arugula as the leafy green base.
The bright, spicy nature of arugula lends itself perfectly to a chimichurri sauce, and it is really, truly spectacular when spooned over some juicy, golden roast chicken and potatoes. We all love a sheet pan dinner, and this one is no exception. You can easily throw this together on a busy weeknight, but it still feels vibrant and nourishing and special.
Two quick recipe notes:
As you’ll see in the recipe, you can use either bone-in or boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. If you use bone-in thighs, you’ll add the chicken to the baking tray with the potatoes at the beginning of roasting, so they get a full 40-45 minutes in the oven. If you use boneless thighs, add them to the baking tray after the potatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes, and then the boneless thighs + potatoes roast together for 20-25 minutes (boneless thighs take less time to cook).
Not feeling chimichurri? Instead make a yummy herby yogurt sauce which would also pair fabulously with the chicken and potatoes.
PS – if you need another good way to use up some greens, my recipe from a few months back for wicked good winter greens pasta is a must! I made it for dinner last night using mostly arugula, and it was insanely good.
It’s the first Friday of the month, which means EVERYONE gets access today’s recipe. If you enjoy this recipe and want to receive a new hyper-seasonal recipe every week, consider becoming a paid subscriber! Paid subscribers also get access to my (ever-growing) full recipe archive, handy gardening guides, bonus content and you’ll get to join our private community chats.
A note that for the month of April, I’m donating 20% of all proceeds from paid subscribers to World Central Kitchen. Thank you for your support, which allows me to pour back into organizations like WCK – a group led by that works tirelessly to provide essential nourishment and aid to communities around the world who desperately need it the most.
Sheet Pan Roast Chicken & Potatoes with Arugula Chimichurri
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
For the arugula chimichurri
2 packed cups arugula
1 packed cup parsley leaves
2 cloves of garlic
1 large shallot or small red onion, diced (about ¼ cup diced)
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the chicken & potatoes
2lbs chicken thighs (bone-in OR boneless – see recipe for cooking instructions depending on which type of chicken thighs you have)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2lbs small red and/or gold potatoes, quartered (if using large potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425F.
Make the arugula chimichurri – In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 packed cups arugula, 1 packed cup parsley, 2 cloves garlic, 1 diced shallot or red onion, ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Process the mixture in short pulses until everything is coarsely chopped. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed – the sauce should be punchy and have a good amount of acidity and salt.
Prepare the chicken – On a plate, pat 2lbs chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then season both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the chimichurri sauce over each thigh and set aside while you prep the potatoes.
Prepare the potatoes – wash 2lb small red and/or gold potatoes, then cut them into quarters (or if using large potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces). Put the cut potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet, then add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and use your hands to toss everything together.
Bake the chicken and potatoes –
If using *bone-in* chicken thighs – nestle the chicken thighs among the potatoes, skin side up, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and give the potatoes a stir. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for another 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp of at least 165F) and the potatoes are golden and tender.
If using *boneless* chicken thighs – first roast the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove and stir everything around. Now nestle the chicken thighs among the potatoes, then return to the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp of at least 165F) and the potatoes are golden and tender.
To serve – Drizzle the remaining chimichurri sauce over the roasted chicken and potatoes, and scatter ½ cup crumbled feta over everything. Enjoy!
That’s all for this week! If you enjoyed, please tap that “heart” button below, share this with a friend, subscribe, or leave a comment… your engagement really helps new people find my work. Thank you so much, I’m thrilled you’re here. :)
I doubled the recipe and made this as a meal prep (lunches) for my wife and I for the week. I was a bit worried about how it’d store over the course of the week but, rest assured, Fridays lunch was every bit as tasty as Mondays (if not more so). This has made it into our regular rotation. Thanks!