Mustard Chicken, Fennel and New Potatoes
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | ~40 minutes |
| Source | Vegetable by Nik Sharma (pg 315-316) |
| Yield / serves | 4 servings |
| Rating | (unrated) |
Ingredients
- 1/4 c whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 1 T brown sugar
- 1 t low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (~1.5 lbs)[1]
- fine sea salt
- ground black pepper
- 5+ T olive oil, divided
- 2 T unsalted butter
- 1 lb baby potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 c water or low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 c frozen peas
- 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 T chopped tender fennel fronds
- 2 T chopped chives
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200°.
In a large bowl, combine the mustard, sugar and soy sauce.
Pat the chicken dry on both sides with clean paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
In a large stainless-steel skillet[2], warm 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned on both sides, 5-8 minutes--no need to cook the chicken all the way through at this stage. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the mustard marinade and gently turn to coat well. Reserve any fat remaining in the skillet.
In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Cook until the milk solids turn light brown and the liquid stops crackling, then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes. Shake the pan to coat the potatoes in the fat, cover, and cook until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes. Stir the potatoes occasionally during cooking (be careful of splattering) and lower the heat as necessary to prevent burning. If things start to burn, add 2-3 tablespoons of water. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer to a small baking dish. Sprinkle with fine sea salt. Keep warm in the oven.
Clean the skillet and return to the stove over medium-high heat, adding a drizzle of olive oil. Add the marinated chicken thighs, skin side down, with all the marinade and cook on both sides, flipping them as they turn golden brown.[3] Stir in the water or chicken stock. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°, 10-12 minutes.
Uncover the pan and fold in the peas (no need to thaw), and the fennel bulb. Cover and cook until the peas and fennel are tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Top with crispy fried potatoes and garnish with chives and fennel fronds. Serve hot or warm.
