Seared Chicken & Caramelized Vegetables

with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Mashed Potatoes

Seared Chicken & Caramelized Vegetables

with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Mashed Potatoes

Caramelized onion—or onion cooked slowly to brown its natural sugars—adds incredible depth of flavor to countless dishes in French cuisine. Here, we’re adding another vegetable to the mix: anise-like fennel. Finished together in a rich pan sauce, the two make for a perfectly sweet counterpoint to our savory chicken. Cherry tomatoes roasted with sprigs of thyme complete the dish with refreshing pops of juiciness (and a subtly woodsy touch).

45 minutes

Ingredients

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 oz Cherry Tomatoes
2 Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 Fennel Bulb
3/4 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 Thyme
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Sherry Vinegar

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Medium dice the potatoes. Cut off and discard any fennel stems. Halve the fennel lengthwise; cut out and discard the core, then thinly slice. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Pick half the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Leave the remaining thyme sprigs whole. Peel and mince the garlic.

Coat & cook the chicken:

Place the flour on a plate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat the seasoned chicken in the flour (shaking off any excess). Transfer to a plate. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan.

Cook & mash the potatoes:

While the chicken cooks, add the potatoes to the pot of boiling water and cook 14 to 16 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Off the heat, add half the butter. Using a fork, mash to your desired consistency; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.

Caramelize the vegetables:

While the potatoes cook, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the fennel and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 16 to 18 minutes, or until browned and very tender.

Roast the tomatoes:

While the vegetables cook, place the tomatoes and whole thyme sprigs on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Roast 6 to 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened. Remove from the oven. Carefully discard the thyme sprigs.

Finish & plate your dish:

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the pan of vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in the vinegar, remaining butter and ¼ cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until well combined. Add the cooked chicken (and any juices from the plate) and all but a pinch of the thyme leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until well combined. (If the sauce seems dry, add 2 tablespoons of water.) Remove from heat. Divide the mashed potatoes and finished vegetables and chicken between 2 dishes. Garnish with the roasted tomatoes and remaining thyme leaves. Enjoy!