Easy Elegance: Honey Garlic Chicken and Oniony Roast Potatoes

Every woman needs an arsenal of recipes good enough to serve to other people...you know, the ones that raise her up to the level of Martha Stewart Homemaking Master.

My chicken recipe is just that: deliciously impressive, but deceptively simple. Nothing make a crowd gasp with delight more than the sight of golden-brown chicken served on a bed of crisp herbed potatoes. They'll never guess you sat at the table downing a caramel macchiato while it all practically cooked itself.

Honey Garlic Chicken and Oniony Roast Potatoes

2.5-3 lbs meaty chicken pieces (leg quarters, thighs, drumsticks, breasts -- doesn't matter)
2 egg whites
1 tbs honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c dry white wine (or if you're feeding kiddos, water works, too)
4-5 lbs potatoes, skin on, cut into bite-sized pieces (red, russet, white, yukon -- doesn't matter)
1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
1 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp paprika
black pepper
2 tbs olive oil

1. Arrange chicken in roasting pan. In bowl whisk together egg whites, honey, garlic, pepper, and wine or water. Use pastry brush to baste chicken with 1/3 of egg white mixture. Cover pan (if you don't have a cover, tent with aluminum foil).

2. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet or in baking pan. Top with onions, sprinkle with Rosemary, paprika, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil; stir to coat.

3. Bake, together, at 375 degrees. Every 20 minutes, baste chicken with egg white mixture and stir potatoes. If chicken is not quite done through at the one hour mark, baste with pan drippings every 15 minutes.

4. When chicken is done, remove from oven. Let stand, covered. Increase oven to 425. Bake potatoes an additional 15-20 minutes, until they pierce easily with fork and are slightly crisp.

5. Arrange potatoes on large platter. Top with chicken. If desired, garnish platter with parsley sprigs or lemon wedges.