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Return to the oven and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the sweet potatoes are lightly browned and tender.

Serve immediately.

NOTE

Look for deep-orange sweet potatoes, often labeled as yams.

SERVES 4

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 3 pounds)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ pounds orange sweet potatoes (see Note), sliced 5⁄8 inch thick (about 20 slices)

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Chicken with Pomegranate-Orange Sauce

When looking for a festive dish, what could be better than a crispy-skinned roast chicken served with an elegant, silky sauce? The sauce relies on the juices that form during roasting, which in turn are flavored by the orange and onion stuffing and pomegranate baste. Garnish the dish with fresh pomegranate seeds for a special touch.

* * *

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Tuck 3 wedges each of the onion and orange into the chicken cavity along with the 2 sprigs of thyme. Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with the remaining 2 teaspoons of thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Slather the butter over the chicken, massaging it into the skin. Place in a shallow roasting pan slightly larger than the chicken. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken.

Squeeze the orange juice from the remaining 5 orange wedges over the chicken and place the wedges around the bird along with the remaining 5 wedges of onion. Pour ¼ cup of the pomegranate juice around the chicken.

Bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and baste the chicken with the pan juices. Pour ¼ cup of the pomegranate juice over the chicken. Continue baking for 40 to 50 minutes or until the temperature at the thickest point of the thigh registers 175°F, basting the chicken every 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let sit while making the sauce. Remove the onion and orange wedges from the chicken cavity and put in the roasting pan. Strain the juices from the pan into a small bowl, pressing on the orange and onion to extract their flavor. Discard the solids.

Skim the fat that rises to the surface of the bowl. Return 2 tablespoons of the fat to the roasting pan and discard the rest. Add enough chicken broth (about ½ cup) to the juices in the bowl to equal ¾ cup.

Heat the roasting pan with the 2 tablespoons of fat over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth mixture, the remaining ½ cup of pomegranate juice, the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and the 1⁄8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking and scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the roasting pan, for 1 to 2 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency.

Carve the chicken and serve the sauce over the chicken.

NOTE

Cranberry juice can be substituted for the pomegranate juice.

SERVES 4

1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 medium orange, cut into 8 wedges

One 3½- to 4-pound chicken

2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1⁄8 teaspoon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus 1⁄8 teaspoon

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup pomegranate juice (see Note)

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus additional if necessary

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons orange juice

½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

RAINBOW EGGS AND YOLKS

Hens produce eggs in a wide range of colors, from shades of deep chocolate brown to light brown, green, blue, pink, and white. My birds’ olive green eggs and blue eggs even have a beautiful light-blue lining. The color of the egg shell is determined by the breed of the hen. Everyone’s question is, “Do colored eggs (other than brown) taste different?” The answer is no. The hen’s diet has the greatest impact on flavor.

The color of an egg yolk will vary from deep orange to