Cook: Roasted Chicken Breast with Root Vegetables

The local farmers' market had a great selection of in-season root vegetables.  There's something about cooking locally and seasonally that just makes for a better meal.

Recipe after the jump...



Roasted Chicken Breast with Root Veggies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1.5 hours

Yield: Serves 4

1 whole chicken breast
1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
0.5 large onion, peeled and quartered
0.5 lb baby carrots
2 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 c low sodium chicken stock
1 tbsp butter, softened
thyme
sage
rosemary
olive oil
salt and pepper

(1)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees
(2) Coat the bottom of a large oven-safe pot (I used a dutch oven) with olive oil

(3) Saute, squash, parsnip, turnip, onion, and potatoes over medium heat for 5 minutes

(4) Add carrots and 1 c stock, roast in the oven uncovered for 20 minutes

 (5) Meanwhile, prepare the chicken by first patting skin dry; pull back the skin and rub the chicken with butter

(6) Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, thyme, sage and rosemary

(7) Remove vegetables from pot and set aside

(8) Coat the bottom of the pot again with olive oil
(9) Add chicken and sear for about 5 minutes per side

(10) Add vegetables back to pan, being sure to place some vegetables under the chicken

(11) Add remaining stock and roast in oven uncovered for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through

Notes: Searing the chicken before roasting is important for starting the Maillard reactions - the chemical processes that create deliciousness.  The vegetables used here can be substituted with any winter vegetables available at your local farmers' market (rutabaga, sweet potato, celeriac, etc.).