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There’s nothing better than pure maple syrup. Made from the sap of maple trees, it’s a uniquely flavorful and natural sweetener for breakfasts, desserts and dinners alike. Here, we’re using it in a glaze for our side of carrots. Combined with a little butter and lemon juice, it strikes the perfect balance of sweet, savory and tart. The maple-glazed carrots make a wonderful addition to seared chicken, mashed potatoes and a rich pan sauce—the epitome of comforting, home-cooked food.

Ethan Mick

with Maple-Glazed Carrots & Pan Sauce

Seared Chicken & Mashed Potatoes

Boneless, Skin-On Chicken Breasts

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Carrots

Lemon

Chicken Demi-Glace

Butter

Maple Syrup

Ingredients

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. [Large dice the potatoes.](#) [Peel and quarter the carrots lengthwise;](#) cut into 2-inch-long pieces on an angle. [Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest](#) (or use a zester). [Quarter and deseed the lemon.](#)

Prepare the ingredients:

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.

Cook & mash the potatoes:

While the potatoes cook, in a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the **carrots**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the **syrup**, **the juice of 2 lemon wedges** and **¼ cup of water**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the liquid is almost completely reduced in volume. Remove from heat and add the **remaining butter**; stir until thoroughly combined and the carrots are coated. Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place. Rinse and dry the pan.

Cook & glaze the carrots:

Pat the **chicken** dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the pan used to cook the carrots, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken, skin sides down. Cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil, 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, and set aside in a warm place.

Cook the chicken:

Add **¼ cup of water** to the pan of reserved fond and cook on medium, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly reduced in volume. Add the **lemon zest** and **demi-glace**; cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly reduced in volume. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the pan sauce:

Thinly slice the cooked chicken crosswise; add any juices from the cutting board to the pan sauce and stir to combine. Divide the sliced chicken, mashed potatoes and glazed carrots between 2 plates. Top with a few spoonfuls of the pan sauce. Garnish with the remaining lemon wedges, if you’d like. Enjoy!