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Most people associate rhubarb with sweet dishes. Pies, crumbles, jams, and compotes are what come to mind when we think about those bright pink stalks. But rhubarb has so much more to offer, especially when used in savory cooking. It brings a wonderful tartness that lifts and balances richer ingredients. This chicken with rhubarb sauce is one of those recipes where rhubarb truly shines in a savory dish. The flavors are layered and satisfying. You get the depth of roast chicken, the brightness of rhubarb, the richness of confit potatoes, and the warmth of fresh herbs. If you are looking for a new rhubarb recipe that goes beyond dessert, I highly recommend trying this rhubarb chicken. It is a beautiful way to celebrate the flavors of spring and early summer.
Spatchcocking The Chicken
This recipe uses a spatchcocked chicken, also called a butterflied chicken. Spatchcocking means removing the backbone of the chicken so that it can be laid out flat. This has several advantages. First, it allows the chicken to cook more evenly. The breast and thighs cook at the same rate, so you do not end up with dry white meat or undercooked dark meat. Second, it exposes more skin to the heat, giving you wonderfully crisp and golden skin all over. Finally, it helps the chicken cook faster, making it a very practical technique for weeknight dinners or when you want to serve several people.
To spatchcock a chicken, you will need a pair of sharp kitchen scissors. I do not recommend using regular household scissors. They are not strong enough to cut through the bones and can slip dangerously. A proper pair of kitchen scissors will make the job quick and safe. This is the pair I recommend.
To spatchcock the chicken, place it breast side down on a cutting board. Use your scissors to cut along one side of the backbone, starting from the tail end. Then cut along the other side to remove the backbone completely. You can save it for stock. Turn the chicken over and press it firmly with the heel of your hand to flatten it. The breastbone should crack slightly, allowing the bird to lie flat. That is it – your chicken is now ready to be seasoned and cooked.
Why Rhubarb Is Perfect For A Savory Sauce
Rhubarb is naturally tart, with a bright acidity that balances beautifully against richer ingredients. In sweet recipes, we often pair it with sugar to soften that tartness. In savory dishes, we can use ingredients like honey, orange juice, and chicken juices to achieve the same balance, while keeping the flavors more complex and less sweet.
In this sauce, the rhubarb is cooked down with orange zest and juice, honey, and fresh herbs. The result is a velvety sauce that is both sharp and smooth. Together with the roasting juices from the chicken, you have an incredibly savory and flavorful sauce like no other. It complements the crispy, juicy chicken perfectly, and I love how the rhubarb holds its character, even when cooked. It brings a freshness to the plate that you rarely get with more traditional roast chicken sauces.
Another reason rhubarb works so well here is its natural pectin. As it breaks down, it helps give the sauce body and texture without the need for flour or other thickeners. The sauce clings beautifully to the chicken and potatoes, making each bite rich and satisfying.
Confit Potatoes
Confit is a technique where food is slowly cooked in fat at a low temperature. It is most famous for duck confit, but it works wonderfully for many other ingredients. Garlic, tomatoes, and even fruit can be confited. Here, we are using this method for small potatoes.
Confit potatoes come out perfectly tender yet firm. You have to try them!
Cooking potatoes this way produces a texture that is hard to describe if you have never tried it. The potatoes stay firm on the outside, but inside they become incredibly tender and silky. The slow cooking allows them to absorb the flavors of the oil, garlic, and herbs. Each bite is rich without feeling heavy. The surface of the potatoes takes on a slight sheen, making them beautiful to serve. It is important to use small potatoes for this method. They cook evenly and absorb flavor more readily than larger ones. I like to use new potatoes or any small waxy variety. And remember – leave the skin on!
One of the best parts of making confit potatoes is that the olive oil can be reused. After cooking, it is deeply flavored with garlic, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper. You can strain it and keep it for future cooking. It is fantastic for roasting vegetables, dressing salads, or even making vinaigrettes.
A practical bonus with this recipe is that the confit potatoes and the roast chicken cook for exactly the same amount of time and at the same temperature. You can put both dishes in the oven at once, which makes the cooking very straightforward.
The Importance Of Good Chicken Stock
Stock is the backbone of so many good sauces, and this recipe is no exception. The chicken roasts over a tray of vegetables and chicken stock. As the chicken cooks, its juices drip down into the tray and combine with the stock and vegetables. This creates an incredibly flavorful base for your sauce.
Using a good homemade stock here makes a big difference. Store-bought stock can be too salty or flat in flavor. When you make your own, you control the seasoning and can build a richer, deeper flavor that enhances the whole dish. The reduced roasting juices, combined with the rhubarb sauce, create a sauce that tastes like it has simmered for hours, yet it comes together quite quickly.
If you have never made your own chicken stock, I highly encourage you to try. It is simple and incredibly rewarding. I have a video that shows exactly how I make chicken stock at home, which you can find below.
A Special Seasonal Recipe
I love meals like this because they celebrate the rhythm of the seasons. In early summer, when the first tender rhubarb is ready to be picked, this dish feels just right. It is light enough for warmer days, but still deeply satisfying. The combination of textures – crisp chicken skin, tender meat, silky potatoes, and velvety rhubarb sauce – makes for a truly special dinner.
This recipe is also very flexible. You can serve it as a simple family meal or dress it up for guests. Add a green salad or some steamed asparagus on the side, and you have a complete, elegant plate. If your looking for some sweet rhubarb desserts or a lovely rhubarb lemonade to go with the meal, make sure to check out the recipes below!
I hope you enjoy making this rhubarb chicken recipe as much as I do. It is one of those dishes that brings people together at the table and makes the most of what the season offers. If you try it, I would love to hear how it turns out.
Rhubarb chicken recipe with a savory rhubarb sauce. Served with confit potatoes for a perfect spring or summer dinner.
Total Time:1 hour 30 minutes
Yield:4–6 portions 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Rhubarb Chicken
1 whole chicken
500 g (1.1 lbs) rhubarb, sliced
4 carrots, sliced
3 onions, quartered
2 garlic bulbs, halved
7 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp cooking oil (or olive oil)
4 dl (1¾ cups) chicken stock
1 orange
3 tbsp honey
2 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs thyme
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Confit Potatoes
1 kg (2.2 lbs) small potatoes, skin on
2 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs thyme
1 garlic bulb, halved
1 tsp black peppercorns
≈ 1 liter (4¼ cups) olive oil
Instructions
Use kitchen scissors to spatchcock the chicken, cutting along both sides of the backbone and removing it completely. Cut off the tips of the wings and lay the chicken out flat, skin side up.
Rub the chicken with 3 tbsp olive oil and season well with salt and black pepper on all sides.
Carefully loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs with your fingers, taking care not to tear the skin. Place 4 tbsp of butter under the skin.
Place the carrots, onions, and halved garlic bulbs in a roasting tray. Pour over the cooking oil and add the chicken stock.
Place a rack over the vegetables and lay the spatchcocked chicken flat on the rack.
In an oven-safe dish, add the potatoes along with rosemary, thyme, halved garlic bulb, and black peppercorns.
Pour olive oil over the potatoes until they are completely submerged.
Roast the chicken and cook the potatoes in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 1 hour. Place the chicken in the middle of the oven and the confit potatoes in the lower part.
While the chicken and potatoes are roasting, prepare the rhubarb sauce. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a pot. Add the sliced rhubarb, the orange zest (cut into thin slices), and the juice of the orange. Add the honey, rosemary, and thyme.
Cover with a lid and let the rhubarb mixture simmer gently until the rhubarb breaks down completely and becomes soft and mushy, stirring occasionally.
Strain the rhubarb sauce through a fine mesh strainer.
When the chicken and potatoes are done, allow the potatoes to cool slightly in the oil. Wrap the chicken loosely in aluminium foil to rest.
Strain the roasting juices from the tray. Skim off the top layer of oil with a spoon.
Let the roasting juices simmer and reduce until slightly thickened. Add the rhubarb sauce and simmer further if you want the sauce thicker. You can also thicken the sauce with some flour, if you want. Adjust the salt to taste.
Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in 1 tbsp of butter to make it extra glossy.
Serve the chicken with the confit potatoes and rhubarb sauce. Optionally, add a fresh salad on the side. Enjoy!
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