Chicken Breasts Under a Brick with Vegetable Ragoût
Tender chicken with an ultimate crispy crust pairs with a vegetables melange of carrots, turnips & corn. Quicker than a whole chicken and delicious! Method: Cook chicken skin side down in cast iron skillet - add vegetables; finish with rosemary for a beautiful pan-sauce.
4largechicken breasts on the bone with skin(the bones to be removed) About 3 pounds
Marinade & for Under the Skin:
1tablespoonfresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoonsalt & peppermixed
1teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoonsfresh garlicpeeled and minced
2teaspoonsfresh rosemary leavescoarsely chopped
Skillet Cooking:
2teaspoonsextra virgin olive oil
1tablespoonunsalted butter I use organic
2teaspoonsunsalted butterorganic
1large earfresh corncut kernals off cob; will have 1 1/4 cups
2teaspoonsextra virgin olive oil
2mediumfresh carrotsI use yellow & orange carrots, 3/4 cup diced, organic
3mediumfresh turnipspeel if large, yields: 3/4 cup diced, organic
2teaspoonsfresh garlicminced
2teaspoonsfresh rosemarycoarsely chopped
3tablespoonsrosé or white wine
1/2cuprich chicken stockcan use vegetable stock*
3tablespoonunsalted butterorganic
Instructions
Debone the Chicken breasts and save the bones for stock (can freeze and make at a later date.) Ask your butcher to do, or simply cut away the bone, scraping with a boning knife until it is detached.Add the chicken to a large plate to hold. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper and mix in. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.Dice the vegetables into 1/3" pieces, remove kernals from corn; set aside.
Remove chicken from the refrigerator, pour off any marinade, pat dry. Add a portion of 2 t. minced garlic and 2 t. chopped rosemary under the skin of each chicken breast, smooth the skin on top. Season well a few pinches of salt & pepper all over. Cover two bricks geneousely wih heavy foil.
Cook the Chicken Under Bricks:
Heat 2 teaspoons evoo and 1 tablespoon of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot and foamy add the chicken breasts SKIN SIDE DOWN in skillet. Place each brick over 2 pieces of chicken - using 2 bricks. Continue cooking over medium heat, not higher until the skin is very dark golden and crispy 8 - 10 minutes.Remove bricks and turn the chicken over with tongs. Reduce heat to low. Cook the second side until just cooked through - about 5 minutes. This will depend on the size of your chicken breasts. (The chicken will flatten a bit due to the bricks!)Remove to a plate.
Sauté the Ragoût, Finish the Pan-Sauce
Wipe the skillet clean add 2 teaspoons of butter and place heat at high. When hot and foamy add all the corn - quickly stir up, then leave to caramelize, do not stir. Corn will "pop" a bit. When golden around the eges - in just one minute - remove to a plate.Add 2 teaspoons evoo to the pan, place heat at medium- low. Add the carrots and tunips and cook, stirring from time to time for 10 minutes until tender crisp. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and stir in. Cook one minute.Add rosemary and wine and bring to a boil. After one minute add chicken (or vegetable stock) and cook 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Reduce heat to low - add cold butter, swirling in, a tablespoon at a time until emulsified. Taste for salt! Add up to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
Serve the dish:
Add a portion of vegetable ragoût to each plate. Slice chicken 1/2" thick and lay on top of the vegetables. Pour over all with the pan-sauce in the skillet.Garnish with fresh herbs of your liking - fresh basil, rosemary or thyme.
If desired - scatter some baby arugula leaves all over.
Notes
*Vegetable Stock I used: ORGANIC Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
COURSE: Main Course
CUISINE: American, French
KEYWORDS: Chicken & Vegetable Ragoût, chicken breast under a brick
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Breasts Under a Brick with Vegetable Ragoût
Amount per Serving
Calories
375
% Daily Value*
Fat
19
g
29
%
Saturated Fat
9
g
56
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
101
mg
34
%
Sodium
433
mg
19
%
Potassium
548
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
12
g
4
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
5
g
6
%
Protein
27
g
54
%
Vitamin A
3819
IU
76
%
Vitamin C
17
mg
21
%
Calcium
47
mg
5
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.