March 19, 2014 |By Adam Roberts | COMMENTS
Every so often, a new friend will confess that they’ve been reading my blog and when I ask, “Did you make anything?” the response is often, “Well I work, so I barely have time to get dinner on the table.” I understand where they’re coming from, though I usually end the friendship at that point. To prevent that from happening again, I’d like to share with you now a dinner anyone can make right after work that is so winning and so wonderful, you’ll want to hug me once you learn it. I like it so much, it’s pretty much a staple now of my repertoire.
It’s as simple as this. Heat your oven to 425. Take two (or four, depending on your crowd) large chicken breasts–with the skin and bones still attached–season them with lots of salt and pepper and heat a large skillet with a big splash of olive oil inside. When the oil is almost smoking, lay the chicken breasts in skin side down. You should hear a loud sizzle.
Walk away. In a few minutes, with a pair of tongs, try to lift the chicken. If it won’t lift, that means the skin is still crisping; once the skin is deep, golden brown, turn the chicken breasts over and take the whole skillet and pop it in the oven. It’ll take about 40 minutes for the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 (use a thermometer to start checking after 30 minutes, though; nothing worse than overcooked chicken breast).
While that’s cooking, take two heads of broccoli, cut into florets, toss the florets on a cookie sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper and some whole heads of garlic still in their skins (I do this so the garlic doesn’t burn) and pop on to the other shelf of your oven. (For reference, see The Best Broccoli of Your Life.) Roast until the broccoli is brown all over and cooked all the way through.
When everything’s done, take everything out of the oven. Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board to rest for a bit. Your kitchen will look like this:
(Note the oven mitt on the pan handle: that’s to remind me that it’s hot!)
Here’s how to bring this dinner together like a champ.
See these brown bits in the pan?
They’re your best friends. They’re packed with chickeny flavor. So here’s how to use it: squeeze a lemon into the pan and add a big pat of butter.
Turn up the heat and start whisking.
What you’ve just made is the most wonderful lemony, buttery, chicken sauce. Scoop some broccoli on to your plates, put the chicken breasts next to it and pour this sauce on top.
It’s a dinner for the ages and, if you ignore the butter and olive oil and chicken skin, relatively healthy too. I hope I’ve changed your life for the better. Now when you meet me, you can tell me you make this ALL the time and we’ll be friends for life.
Tags: broccoli, chicken, easy food, lemon juice, weeknight dinners
Categories: Adam's Personal Favorites, Recipes
I was sure this was an April Fools Joke….
Love it for soups …yummy yum
Crudités, pickled, boiled in chicken stock and puréed
Me, too. I love the trimmed stems of broccoli roasted in the oven with olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika. Then I eat it with a squirt or two of lemon juice and, often, a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche. It’s very decadent! I’m sure cauliflower will be just as good. Um, um, good!
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I use a veggie peeler to get rid of the tough outer layer and chop the tender inside of the stalk. Mixed it right in to a broccoli rice casserole.
When it comes to cooking, i always throw away tender part of broccoli. But for soup, every section of the brocoli is same to me.
Guilty as charged! I admit it. I have tossed the stalks, but no more! Plus, I always kinda resented paying for something at the market that we didn’t even eat. I look at broccoli in a while new light. Thanks so much!
I often don’t bother peeling the stalk–just chop it all up (not the woody parts, of course) & toss it in–salad, stirfry, whatever.
I’m not alone! Somebody else likes the stems! I’m grinning from ear to ear! I give all my florets to my Hubs, and happily eat the stems. I gag on florets because I can’t handle the texture unless it is so finely chopped, cooked to total softness, and covered in cheese that I can’t feel it on the roof of my mouth. I like the flavor, and the health benefits are such that I really try, but some things just don’t go down well, so we really should try other parts of those things when possible!
Great post. I peel the outer layer and then stir fry the broccoli stem. It’s so delicious. There are a ton of vegetable “discards” that people throw away that can be reused. I usually save them to make a homemade broth.
Love this! I’ve been throwing this part out all along… wish I had known!
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Wow.. I never knew that people threw the stem part away. I have always peeled it and used it in whatever I use the heads in. Really.. I never knew.. HA.
Our broccoli is always “trees” not florets, and I use the thick part of the stem as well, all except the bottom inch or so. Raw, boiled, steamed … it doesn’t matter, it’s my favourite part.
I used to be guilty of this too until I saw an episode of Jacques Pepin show on PBS & decided to give them a try. Now I like the stems more than the crown. Give it a try, peeps! They are really good!
I love the stems! I prefer them over the florets, which was perfect for me as a kid because my sister ate the florets while I ate all the stems. I’ve heard the stems are actually more nutritious than the florets…
I have been saving stems for a very long time, I trim um and cut an prep and I store in freezer ready for soup or roasting etc. I also save all the parm cheese rinds and freeze them and throw into my gravy and soups , virtually anything , stem sisters unite!
I’m right there with you on the Parmesan rinds! *high five*
You’ve done a wonderful service to the world by spreading the word: save the stalks! (: I like to grate (or finely chop) them and egg them into frittata egg muffins and stir fries. I also enjoy them simply steamed or roasted! (Broccoli oven fries?!)
I also prefer the stems to the crowns. For the last few years, my supermarket has been selling “broccoli crowns,” and I have to search hard to find those that still have enough stems to satisfy me. The stems (and the non-floweret parts of the cauliflower) are very much like kohlrabi.
However, my FAVORITE part are the leaves of the broccoli and the cauliflower. I winced when you discarded the broccoli leaves in your video. I chop them up and add them to whatever I’m cooing, or leave them whole and crisp them up in the oven.
Jaden, I’d like to say again how much I enjoy your newsletter, both your cooking notes and tales of your life with your family.
Thank you very much for your video showing how to cut and keep most of the parts of the brocoli and cauliflower!
I use the broccoli stalks in my chili. Trim off the outer layer. Large dice the inner part. Toss chunks into the chili as it is cooking.
Yes, I love the stems, too!
The stem is great Julienned and used in a stir fry, or with Julienned orange and yellow peppers as a side Veg. I NEVER throw it away.