Let’s first get my confession out of the way before we start. I had never tried persimmons before and this was my first time! I always wondered what they tasted like but never saw them being sold in singles, only by the case. (Update: Singles sold in Chinatown or Harvest Wagon) Persimmons are sweet and sort of taste like cantaloupes, peaches or mangoes. The ones I bought are ready to eat as soon as you purchase them. Even better, they’re seedless, pit-less and you don’t have to peel the skin off! Persimon® are available November through January, if they last! I called 3 Sobeys and a Foodland. They were all sold out (End of November), so they are clearly high in demand. At the end I found a box at Metro! Yay!

This particular brand Persimon ®, are ripe and ready to eat, while other brands you may have to wait for them to turn soft and ripen. They’re grown exclusively in the Ribera del Xúquer valley near Valencia, Spain.

Roast Chicken with Persimmons and Olives with Persimon®

Confession: My first time trying persimmons!! Taste SO good & bonus good source of Vitamin A & C #PersimonSays pic.twitter.com/iDa9Q8Uvaw

— Humara Kausar (@HumaraKausar) November 29, 2015

What you’ll need:

1 Whole Chicken (3-1/2 pounds) cut into 8 pieces and breasts halved crosswise
(I used two large chicken breasts with no skin to feed two people. But you can get with skin and use a whole chicken for serving 6)
1 tbsp (15 ml) Paprika
(I used a paprika/lime mix, see below images)
1 tsp (5 ml) Salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) Pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) Chopped Parsley
1 Persimon®, topped and cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) wedges
(I used 1 and a half and ate the other half while it baked!) 🙂
1 fennel bulb topped and cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) wedges
(I didn’t use fennel bulb. But it’s a great option)
1/2 cup (125 ml) Cracked green olives, pitted and halved
1 tbsp (15 ml) Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Method

Preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C)

Line a rimmed baking pan/sheet with parchment paper. I love this parchment paper because it’s strong compared to some other brands I’ve used.

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add the paprika, salt, pepper and half of the parsley; toss to coat. Place the chicken in the pan and bake for 20 minutes.

I love the smell of fresh cut parsley

[Tweet “#DidYouKnow a Persimon® with freckles=extra sweetness? #PersimonSays”]

Place the Persimon® wedges, olives and remaining parsley in a separate bowl. Add olive oil, season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

After the 20 minute mark turn the chicken pieces over. Add the Persimon®, olives, parsley mix to the bake sheet and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through. Bake until the chicken is cooked through. You can serve this with rice, salad or even on its own. You can also use persimmons in pretty much anything! Whatever you would add fruit too. I have some persimmons left, maybe I’ll make something sweet with it!

Voila! Your classic baked chicken recipe with a touch of Mediterranean flair. Yum 🙂