Double Maple Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup granulated maple sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (skin removed)

cup maple syrup

Zest of 1 lemon

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large Dutch oven, combine the sweet potatoes and the olive oil. Toss well to coat.

In a small bowl, mix together the maple sugar, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the sweet potatoes, then toss to coat. Arrange the sweet potatoes in an even layer over the bottom of the Dutch oven.

Use your hand to rub some of the remaining maple sugar mixture over the chicken thighs. Arrange the chicken over the sweet potatoes. Drizzle the maple syrup over the chicken.

Cover the pot and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and roast for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees at the thickest part.

Serve the chicken with the sweet potatoes. Just before serving, sprinkle the lemon zest over the chicken. The sweet potatoes can be served as roasted chunks, or can be mashed. If mashing, add some of the liquid in the pot until the sweet potatoes reach the desired consistency.

Serves four.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 506 calories, 16 g fat (3 g saturated), 43 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 46 g protein, 188 mg cholesterol, 1,193 mg sodium.

J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press