Braised Chicken with Baby Vegetables and Peas

I love the May issue of Cooking Light- so many good recipes to try! I made this recipe earlier in the week, one one of our non-gym nights. It took awhile, but it was worth it. The wine added a delicious stew-like flavor, and the little pearl onions were so yummy!

My only gripe is that the carrots were nasty – but I hate carrots, so I’m biased! I only left them in the recipe because I thought they looked nice and spring-like

The original recipe also called for 12 baby turnips (to be added with the carrots and onions), but I couldn’t find any at the grocery store.

Braised Chicken with Baby Vegetables and Peas
adapted from Cooking Light, May 2009

2  tablespoons  butter, divided
2  bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
2  bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
2  chicken drumsticks, skinned
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
2  (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1  cup  dry white wine
1/2  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
12  baby carrots, peeled (about 8 ounces)
12  pearl onions, peeled (about 8 ounces)
6  fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2  bay leaves
2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
3/4  cup  fresh green peas
2  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan.

browning the chicken

Add broth to pan; cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add wine and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaves); stir. Add chicken to pan, nestling into vegetable mixture; bring to a boil.

after adding the liquids

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Discard bay leaves and parsley sprigs. Remove chicken and vegetables from the pan.

Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour cooking liquid into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top).

letting the fat rise to the top

(Watch out… this next part is a little tricky and semi-messy!) Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings back into pan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Return liquid to pan. Bring liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 5 minutes).

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture to cooking liquid; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Return chicken and vegetable mixture to pan; stir in peas. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with chopped parsley (I forgot to garnish mine!!)

serves 4

finished!

a close-up of the finished product

one of the chicken breasts plated