Spring Holiday Dining: Versatility for Passover & Easter

It’s the spring holiday season, a time when many feel a strong desire to connect with family and friends and celebrate renewal. Both Passover and Easter are filled with cherished traditions, from jelly beans and chocolate eggs to matzah ball soup and haroset.

Reimagining Traditional Meals

While honoring tradition is important, you don’t have to strictly adhere to the same holiday menu year after year. A fresh approach can make celebrations even more enjoyable. This menu is designed to work beautifully for both Passover and Easter, requiring minimal effort and time.

Quick & Flavorful Starter: Baked Feta with Cherry Tomatoes

A 20-Minute Appetizer

This starter comes together in under 20 minutes. It features a thick slice of feta cheese surrounded by cherry tomatoes, topped with Za’atar – a flavorful Middle Eastern spice mix – and a drizzle of honey. Serve with matzah for Passover or warm, crusty bread for Easter.

Braised Chicken: A Main Course for Both Holidays

Make-Ahead Convenience

This braised chicken dish is ideal for either holiday and is best prepared a day in advance, allowing you to spend more time with loved ones. The dish is bursting with fresh flavors, vibrant colors, and interesting textures.

Recipe Details

The chicken is browned and then braised with white wine or chicken stock, along with apricots, artichoke hearts, green olives, dates, carrots, thyme, and saffron. Serve with couscous, pearl couscous, or roasted potatoes.

  • Yields: Serves 6-8
  • Ingredients:
    • 1 chicken, about 3 pounds, cut into 8 pieces, or 3 pounds chicken pieces
    • About 1½ tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
    • 8 ounces carrots, about 6 small or 4 medium, peeled and cut in half lengthwise and then into 1-inch pieces
    • ½ cup pitted green olives, cut in half if large or left whole if small
    • 3 cups dry white wine or chicken broth, or a combination of both

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and half the thyme on both sides. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat half the oil over moderately high heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken and olive oil if needed. Heat the skillet over low heat and add the onion and the sliced and whole garlic, salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the saffron if using and stir it into the onion mixture. Add the carrots, apricots, dates, olives, artichoke hearts, parsley and remaining thyme and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.