Persian Chicken and Roasted Veggies

While chicken marinates, halve, peel, and cut onion into ½-inch-thick wedges; mince a few wedges until you have 2 TBSP (¼ cup for 4 servings). Drain and rinse chickpeas; pat very dry with paper towels. Chop cilantro leaves and stems. Roughly chop pistachios.

Toss onion wedges, chickpeas, and tomatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, 1 tsp Shawarma Spice (2 tsp for 4 servings; you’ll use the rest later), salt, and pepper. Roast, tossing halfway through, until chickpeas are crispy and veggies are tender, about 20 minutes. (For 4, divide between 2 baking sheets; swap rack positions halfway through roasting.) TIP: It’s natural for some chickpeas to pop as they roast.

Meanwhile, melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a small pot over medium-high heat. (For 4, use a medium pot.) Add dried cherries, minced onion, half the pistachios, remaining Shawarma Spice, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 1 minute. Stir in rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4), and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat.

While rice cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade; allow excess to drip off. Add chicken to pan and cook until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes per side. (TIP: Medium heat is key in preventing the marinade from burning. If chicken begins to brown too quickly, lower the heat.) Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, slice chicken crosswise.