To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.

I love this time of year. Not just because summertime in the Sierra is amazing, but you also get many local restaurants changing up their seasonal menus with new creations. Not only is Truckee Tavern and Grill doing that with this week’s feature, but they’re also changing up their approach towards food to include more complete woodfire grill selections.

The fun in this dish starts with chicken taking a long bath in a citrus brine that includes a mixture of salt, sugar, juniper, black pepper, ginger, orange juice, lime juice, and lemon juice. By brining the chicken, it not only helps to retain moisture but allows those flavors to soak in deeper and help foster a more tender meat.

Once finished, it is roasted and glazed with the orange cardamom concoction and then placed on a bed of roasted diced sweet potatoes, pearl onions, rainbow chard, and then surrounded by a chicken jus. The result is a stunning dish that looks almost too good to eat … almost.

The chicken is without a doubt the star of the show. Supremely juicy, it has a nice balance of sweet and smoky and can easily be devoured on its own or made to change it up with each bite by grabbing one of the texture components underneath.

The sweet potatoes can add in a little nuttiness, the rainbow chard an earthy bitterness, and the pearl onions (which is one of my favorite ingredients) another layer of sweetness. And if you’re not soaking up that chicken jus with each bite to help double down on deep chicken flavor, you’re not getting the full experience.

As far as chicken dishes goes, this is about as tasty as it gets. And being a full half, there’s enough to go around and savor for later if you can’t take it all down in one sitting.

Truckee Tavern & Grill is located at 10118 Donner Pass Rd. in Truckee. For menu and more information visit them online at truckeetavern.com or reach them via phone at 530-587-3766.