Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Last Friday it was pouring rain. Dark and windy. The kind of day where you want to stay inside curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee. That morning I came across a tweet that the Union Square Greenmarket posted. It was an Instagram picture of rainbow carrots. Knowing they would be all snatched up by lunchtime, I rushed for the raincoat, umbrella, and boots and headed out the door.

With a half mangled umbrella covering my major frizz-ball, slightly damp hair (ladies you know what I’m talking about), I arrived up the stairs from the subway station to see a scarcity of white tents and really no one around. Was I the idiot that treked to the farmer’s market for a bunch of carrots? Yep.

Might as well stroll around the market and see what else they had since I was already wet. There were mounds. Ok barrels of snap peas that I couldn’t resist. So I bought just enough snap peas for this dish remembering the cashier’s dirty look gleaming right at me because all I had was a twenty.

I had some leftover scallions from a prior trip to the farmer’s market that were still sitting in the fridge. Without letting them go to waste. they made a perfect addition to this dish.

This is a redo from an old post that I did like a year ago. Obviously the photos were no good, but most importantly, the recipe itself needed updating. It’s crazy how what you eat and how you cook can evolve and change over time…from using more fresh herbs to seasonal vegetables to supporting local farms. This dish really celebrates spring. The produce of spring.

The chicken is stuffed with fresh herbs tucked underneath its skin to keep it moist and full of flavor. Don’t skip out on the fennel seed. It adds a depth of flavor that takes the chicken from ordinary to something special. The vegetables are simply sauteed with salt and pepper. The meaty mushrooms flavor the broth. A simple dish to let the vegetables’ flavors stand on their own.

Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables
adapted from Giada’s Kitchen

Don’t skip out on the fennel seed. It adds a depth of flavor that takes the chicken from ordinary to something special.

serves 2

Ingredients
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breasts, boneless with skin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 spring onions, trimmed (white and light green parts only)
1 small bunch rainbow carrots, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
1 portobello mushroom, stemmed and sliced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, add the parsley, thyme, garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Stuff the herbed mixture underneath the chicken skin. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side face down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until skin is crispy and golden. Turn the chicken over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish skin side up. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile, using the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly browned. Add the chicken broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the snap peas and mushrooms. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced. Serve with chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.