Best Chicken Breasts With Fennel Carrots And Couscous Recipes

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH FENNEL SAUCE

Steps:

• If the chicken breast halves are connected, separate and trim membrane or fat. Salt and pepper.
• Trim the fennel and save 4 green leaves for chopping, leaving only the white bulb at the bottom. Cut the bulb into 1/4-inch cubes. There should be about 1 1/2 cups.
• Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots.
• Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the fennel around them. Continue cooking, shaking the skillet and redistributing the fennel, until it is cooked evenly. Cook about 3 minutes. Add the wine, broth, bay leaf, thyme and Tabasco sauce. Cover tightly and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn the pieces occasionally.
• Transfer the chicken to a warm platter, cover with foil and keep warm.
• With a slotted spoon, remove about 1/2 cup of the fennel cubes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Pour the remaining fennel mixture into a blender or food processor. Add the butter and blend to a very fine puree. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, season with salt and pepper as needed. Add any liquid that may have accumulated around the chicken. Add the reserved fennel cubes and the chopped fennel leaves. Bring to a simmer and spoon the sauce over the chicken breasts. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess.
• Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, 6-8 minutes.
• Flip the chicken breasts over, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the thickest part of the chicken is cooked through at the thickest part, about 6-8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest while cooking the vegetables and couscous.
• Add 1 tbs more oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, fennel and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until the onion is softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the couscous, garlic and a pinch cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the 3/4 cup of the orange juice and broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let sit off the heat until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• In the meantime, whisk the remaining 5 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tbs of the cilantro and a pinch of the cayenne together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Gently fold the remaining 2 tbs cilantro into the couscous with a fork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the oil-orange juice mixture over the chicken and couscous before serving.

CHICKEN WITH FENNEL AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of cider, 1 tbsp of mustard,1 tbsp of the tarragon, 2 tsp of the parsley, the butter, salt and pepper.
• Scatter the carrots fennel and onion over the bottom of a 10 x 15 baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Brush the cider mustard vinegar mixture over the chicken and roast for about 30 minute.
• In a small bowl mix remaining 1/2 cup cider, 1 tbsp mustard, creme fraiche, and the cornstarch. Whisk in the chicken broth, vinegar and salt.
• Remove pan from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375°F Pour the creme fraiche mixture over the chicken then scatter the apples around. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the vegetable and apples are tender and the chicken is done, about 20 - 30 minute.
• Transfer the chicken to a warm platter. Use a slotted spoon to arrange the vegetables and apples around the chicken. Sprinkle with a little salt and the remaining tarragon and parsley. Tilt the pan so that the juices gather in one corner. Skim as much fat as possible from the pan. Seadon the sauce to taste and pour into a pitcher to pass at the table,.

CAST-IRON ROAST CHICKEN WITH FENNEL AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt, inside and out. (We use 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt per lb.) Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Let sit 1 hour to allow salt to penetrate, or chill, uncovered, up to 1 day ahead.
• Place a rack in upper third of oven and set a 12" cast-iron skillet or 3-qt. enameled cast-iron baking dish on rack. Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Meanwhile, toss fennel, carrots, and 2 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl to coat; season with salt and pepper.
• Once oven reaches temperature, pat chicken dry with paper towels and lightly coat with half of remaining oil. Drizzle remaining oil into hot skillet (this helps keep the chicken from sticking and tearing the skin). Place chicken in the center of skillet and arrange vegetables around. Roast until fennel and carrots are golden brown in spots and tender an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 155°F, 50-60 minutes (temperature will climb to 165°F as chicken rests). Let chicken rest in skillet at least 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board and carve. Serve with vegetables.