Every now and then I try a new recipe, adapt it to my way of cooking, I find a new favorite. This recipe for Roast Chicken with Braised Fennel, Tarragon and Lemon is one of those. It has two of my favorite ingredients, tarragon and fennel, one of which I have tried to make countless times without liking the results. This is the fennel. I think that I have finally found a way to make this wonderful vegetable forevermore. The combination of the cooking method and the ingredients is what makes this recipe one of my favorites!
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- 2 chicken breasts skin on, bone in
- vegetable oil spray
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8-10 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 1 whole lemon zested
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 whole fennel bulb. trimmed and sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine to de-glaze the pan
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Garnish
- 1 whole lemon cut into wedges
- Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Pre-heat oven to 375°
- Grate the zest from a whole lemon, finely slice 2 whole peeled cloves of garlic and trim and slice fennel into 1/2" slices. Set aside until ready to use.
- Spray the bottom of a medium sauté pan with vegetable oil and heat the pan over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Season chicken pieces on both side with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the pan is hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and sear for 6-8 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove chicken to a platter and reserve.
- Place fennel in the same pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes per side, or until nicely golden.
- Remove fennel to a casserole dish and top with the reserved chicken.
- Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and when the butter melted, add sprigs of fresh tarragon, lemon zest and sliced garlic and stir to combine.
- Cook for one minute and then de-glaze the pan with the white wine. Stir and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the and cook until the wine has reduced by half.
- Add chicken stock, stir to combine, then pour the juices over the reserved chicken and fennel.
- Place pan into a pre heated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until the pan juices have been reduced by half and the chicken is cooked through and the fennel is tender and nicely browned.
- Serve with sliced lemon wedges.
You don't have to transfer the chicken and vegetables to another dish before roasting in the oven, but I planned to serve this recipe from the pan, so I did transfer to a baking dish. You could just as easily place the skillet in the oven and then serve from the skillet.