"Tzimmes" Chicken With Apricots, Prunes, and Carrots (2024)

2 whole chickens (about 4 pounds), broken down into 8 pieces, wings and backbones reserved for another use

4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

½ cup olive oil

½ cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds carrots, preferably young carrots with greens attached, halved lengthwise or quartered if large

1 large red onion, cut into ½" wedges

12 garlic cloves, peeled

8 ounces dried apricots (about 1½ cups)

8 ounces dried prunes (about 1½ cups)

20 sprigs thyme

1½ cups dry white wine

Parsley leaves with tender stems (optional, for serving)

Leave a Review

• Love this dish, but I haven’t made it in a long time. I’ve forgotten: When you say “divide everything but chicken between baking sheets,” does this include the marinade?

  • Lauraelizabethprokic

  • 4/16/2021

• Very good. I followed others' advice and halved the amount of honey. I used prunes only, skipped the cayenne, and added a few potatoes.

  • tekstar

  • Grantham NH

  • 10/18/2020

• Prepared as written, marinating the chicken and everything for 2 hours prior to cooking. Cooked the chicken covered for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered thereafter to brown slightly. Great presentation, moist chicken, yummy meal.

  • fhallo

  • Baltimore, MD

  • 9/20/2020

• Fabulous flavors. I just found that the carrots didn't cook, so I had to put them back in for an extra 1 hour. Then they and the sauce were perfect. Next time I would cook the vegetables to just slight of perfection (45m -1 hour) and then add the chicken.

  • janetstein

  • Palm Beach, FL

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  • 9/19/2020

• Cloyingly sweet with an unpleasant aftertaste. This dish was not a hit in our household.

  • danx1000

  • California

  • 4/9/2020

• I will halve it (it’s just me) and use 2lbs. of bone-in skin-on thighs or legs. I also use date syrup instead of honey — it’s less sweet and has an alluring caramelly taste. But OMG! Chicken AND tzimmes on a sheet pan! Brilliant!!!

  • hollisevon

  • Vero Beach, FL

  • 1/30/2020

• My dinner guests have said this is delicious. I have made it twice and will make it again this week. I'm a vegetarian, but I make this for guests. I do enjoy the vegetables that cook with it. Obviously that makes me a very unconventional vegetarian.

  • chickrun

  • New Jersey

  • 1/23/2020

• I have made this twice, once in a small version for two and a second time for eight. It is delicious and makes a spectacular presentation. Based on other reviews, I too used less honey but it just the right amount of sweet. I prepped all my sauce, chopped everything, including 3 pink lady apples with skin on, and put all in an enormous bowl. With two hands I tossed the veg and chicken in the sauce and let it sit for about two hours. Garnished with parsley. Spectacular.

  • siobhannyc

  • NYC

  • 10/13/2019

• Perfect for the New Year celebration (L'Shana Tova!) Cut back on the salt a tad (always do), otherwise halved the recipe for 2 and have plenty of leftovers. Finished the holiday meal with Epi's own "Majestic and Moist New Year's Honey Cake". Both recipes require mise en place, and totally worth it.

  • bklynbug

  • centeroftheuniverse

  • 9/30/2019

• Big hit for Passover this year. The chicken and the tzimmis in one pan, genius!

  • jmurov

  • SF Bay Area

  • 4/23/2019

• Delicious. Followed it as the recipe indicated, but one used chicken thighs and breasts (I cut the breasts into two pieces for more even roasting). Served it for Passover Seder, and everyone loved it. Had leftovers the following day and it was even better.

  • bonnieww

  • Roswell, GA

  • 4/23/2019

• When you put the chicken in with the vegetables after the vegetables have cooked alone for 15 minutes, do you cover the veggies and chicken? I did, but wanted to see what others did. I loved the flavors and would definitely serve it again

  • cak

  • Sarasota, FL

  • 2/28/2019

• This recipe was beyond delicious. My husband gave it 5 stars. I served it for guests at a small dinner party, and it was a complete hit - they told me I should open a restaurant. The only things I changed were, I used slightly less honey, and I used all thighs and removed the skin. I used local organic carrots or all color varieties, and the pale yellow ones were a special hit. The sauce in this recipe is plentiful, rich and unbelievably delicious. The spices, fruit and wine is just an amazing combination. I served it with a whole grain walnut boule (bread loaf) on the side, but potatoes broiled or mashed would be excellent as a side I think. I had plenty of time to hang out with my guests, and served dinner on a huge platter which made them stop for photos! First course was a butter lettuce salad with a carrot boohrani and pistachios, and dessert was a plum pudding, so there was a theme carried throughout - worked really well! This recipe is definitely a keeper.

  • tkwalkker

  • Port Ludlow, WA

  • 8/19/2018

• Great recipe, takes a bit of prep, but otherwise is easy-peasy. Result is savory, sweet, and the leftover tzimmes is great on rice (for non-passover times).

  • Anonymous

  • Baton Rouge, LA

  • 4/9/2018

• This is delicious, but too spicy for my kids. I might try it again without the cayenne and pepper and see if it can please the whole table.

  • Anonymous

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • 4/4/2018

TagsCasseroleJewishWhole ChickenChickenPoultryCarrotRoot VegetableVegetableDried ApricotDried FruitFruitPruneThymeMainDinnerGluten FreeSheet-Pan DinnersRoastRosh HashanahPassoverEpicurious