BROILED CHICKEN WITH THYME, FENNEL AND PEPPERS

Broiled Chicken with Thyme, Fennel and Peppers image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 small fennel bulbs (about 2 3/4 pounds), trimmed, quartered lengthwise
3 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
6 boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Steps:

Cook fennel bulbs in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain; cool.
Toss fennel, bell peppers, olive oil and 1 teaspoon chopped thyme in large bowl to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat broiler. Using mallet or rolling pin, pound each chicken breast between sheets of plastic to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, on broiler pan.
Watching closely, broil chicken 4 to inches from heat source until golden brown and almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove broiler pan from oven. Pour off any pan drippings. Using tongs, turn chicken over and broil until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Pour off any additional pan drippings.
Working in 2 batches, arrange peppers and fennel in single layer on broiler pan. Broil until vegetables begin to brown and peppers and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer vegetables to platter with chicken.
Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat. Mix in remaining 2 teaspoons chopped thyme, lemon peel and fennel seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle butter mixture over chicken. Garnish chicken with thyme sprigs, if desired, and serve.