One of the things I’m least looking forward to about reentering polite society after our pandemic isolation is having to eat bone-in chicken with a knife and fork.

This past year has involved a blissful disregard of many utensils. Forks have become purely optional, especially for poultry.

With their built-in handles, drumsticks are just so convenient for picking up and nibbling. I can’t even imagine how to wield a knife around a neck or a wing. Plus, if you’re a cartilage cruncher like me, there’s really no other efficient way to pry off every last tasty morsel. Bone-in meat tastes better, too, with the marrow adding richness as it seeps into the flesh during cooking.

One of the best and easiest ways to cook bone-in chicken is to roast marinated pieces spread out on a sheet pan.

The basic method is always the same: Salt the chicken, season it with garlic (nonnegotiable) and any herbs and spices you like, then let it sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature while the oven heats. Next, lay the pieces on a sheet pan, drizzle with oil, and roast until the skin is burnished, sizzling and gorgeously crisp.

Roasting chicken parts is faster than cooking a whole chicken, and usually a lot more flavorful, since the marinade can thoroughly coat the pieces.

For this recipe, I’ve stirred some honey into the marinade, which adds sweetness and deepens the color of the chicken skin. Rosemary and red pepper flakes give spice and depth; crumbled feta adds a salty, creamy tang; and thinly sliced lemon lends brightness.

You might wonder whether or not to eat the lemon slices after roasting. This depends on how much sourness you can take as well as what kind of lemon you’ve used. Meyer lemons are a lot gentler than the standard fruit. The honey also helps tame the tartness, so, even acid-avoiders might hazard a bite.

The sticky, schmaltzy, sweet-and-sour drippings on the bottom of the pan are one of this dish’s great joys, so be prepared to sop them up with some bread. Or you can spoon them over rice or potatoes. In those cases, your fork might be just the thing.

Chicken With Honey, Lemon and Feta

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (to substitute breasts, see Tip)
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed to a paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
• Chopped mint, dill or parsley, for serving

Directions:

Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix together garlic, honey, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes.

Add chicken and toss well with your hands, spreading the garlic paste all over the chicken pieces.

Add rosemary sprigs and lemon slices and toss to combine.

Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Spread chicken and lemons across a single layer in the lined pan, tucking in the rosemary sprigs.

Drizzle oil generously over everything. Roast for 20 minutes.

Using tongs, turn over the chicken pieces, and give the lemons a stir. Sprinkle feta on top. Continue to bake for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is bronzed and cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or drumstick registers 165 degrees. Serve garnished with chopped herbs and more red pepper flakes, if you like. Total time: 50 minutes, plus marinating; serves 4.

Tip:

To substitute white meat, use bone-in, skin-on breasts and roast them for 25-30 minutes. Add the feta at the beginning and do not turn the chicken.

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