Savory Chicken with Vegetables

My new issue of Fine Cooking arrived last week, so I have been hankering to try some of the recipes out of it. One of the recipes that caught my eye was for Roasted Chicken Thighs with Late-Summer Vegetables and Pan Sauce. I first tried cooking with chicken thighs about a year ago and Russ and I both really like them. They are moist and flavorful and a fairly inexpensive cut of chicken. Russ and I also love green beans. I know this still shocks my Mother since I refused to touch or eat green beans for my entire childhood, but now I love them. Add in Vidalia onions, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil and what is not to love about this recipe.

You start by sprinkling the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. I just used four since it was just for Russ and me. You then pan sauté them in a little olive oil for 10 or so minutes until the chicken browns. While it is browning you toss the beans, tomatoes, onion, olives, and garlic in a bowl with a little olive oil and then season with salt and pepper. These are spread onto a large baking sheet. You then put both the chicken and vegetables in the oven to roast. When the chicken is cooked through you put the chicken to the side and reduce the juices with a little white wine to make a pan sauce. Once the veggies are done then you plate them with the chicken on top and drizzle the sauce over everything.

Russ and I both really enjoyed the savory flavor of the roasted chicken and vegetables. All the different flavors went together perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing next time except to use my meat thermometer like the recipe had suggested. I think I ended up over cooking the chicken a little bit. Overall the chicken was moist and the vegetables were fantastic in flavor and texture. My vegetables did not need to cook longer when I took the chicken out, but this may have been since the chicken cooked a little longer than it needed. This was a wonderful meal that was easy to pull together on a weeknight, made the kitchen smell terrific, and tasted great. It really is a meal in and of itself, so I just served it with sliced peaches and blueberries. Russ rates the meal a 10! (Cash enjoyed playing with and later destroying his new bear.)


Roasted Chicken Thighs with Late-Summer Vegetables and Pan Sauce

Fine Cooking, September 2007

Serves three to four.

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (2 ½ to 3 lb.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
½ lb. green beans, stem ends trimmed (2 cups)
10 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes (2 cups)
One-half large sweet onion (like Vidalia or Walla Walla) or red onion, cut into ½ inch thick slices
½ cup pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives
2 large cloves of garlic, sliced about 1/8 inch thick
¾ cup dry white wine
1 tsp. unsalted butter (optional)
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, sliced into ½ inch strips

Position two racks near the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425 F. Heat a 10 to 11 inch heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Generously season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Pour 1 Tbs. of the oil into the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side down in the pan and cook until the skin is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Turn the chicken over. If a lot of fat has accumulated, carefully spoon it off and discard.

While the chicken browns, toss the beans, tomatoes, onion, olives, and garlic in a large bowl with the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Season with ¾ tsp. salt and several grinds of pepper and spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet.

Put the skillet of chicken and the baking sheet with the vegetables in the oven, with the chicken on the higher rack. Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted in the center of the thigh registers 170 F, 18 to 20 minutes. Continue to roast the vegetables until very soft and beginning to brown, 8 to 12 minutes more.

Meanwhile, remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Spoon off and discard as much fat as possible from the chicken juices, add the wine, set over high heat, and boil until reduced to about ¼ cup sauce, 4 to 6 minutes; it should be syrupy and concentrated in flavor. Swirl in the butter, if using.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and toss them with the basil. Divide the vegetables among four plates. Arrange one or two chicken thighs on the vegetables and drizzle with the pan sauce. Serve immediately.