On the weekends, I love spending hours experimenting in the kitchen (I can’t wait to share the soft pretzels I made recently – they’re PERFECT!) but when it comes to weeknight meals, I can be incredibly lazy.I just don’t have the time or energy to cook anything too involved. That’s why recipes like this 30-minute Bistro Chicken are some of my favorites. It’s so easy to make and – since everything cooks in the same pot – it’s easy to clean up.
Chicken thighs are one of my weeknight staples. As long as you buy small ones (about a quarter pound each) they cook up really quickly. I like to crisp up the skin on the stove before adding tons of vegetables and finishing the whole thing in the oven. If you take advantage of the time it takes for the chicken skin to brown to prepare the vegetables, you only need to be in the kitchen for about 10 minutes – which gives you 20 minutes to sit down and put your feet up.
For this Bistro Chicken, inspired by a special they ran recently at one of my favorite restaurants, I add crispy pancetta, tons of shallots, mushrooms, and carrots. It all cooks together with chicken stock that ends up being a delicious sauce that gets finished with mustard and a splash of cream. It’s delicious (and filling) on it’s own, but it’s even better if you have some mashed cauliflower to soak up the extra sauce.
Since the ingredients in this recipe are so simple, it’s important to use a good quality stock – I used Perdue’s new Signature chicken stock, which comes refrigerated (look for it near the chicken) and doesn’t contain any preservatives or artificial flavors. Since the chicken and pancetta are pretty salty on their own, I opted for the reduced sodium version which worked out perfectly.
30-Minute Bistro Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1/4 pound each)
- 3 ounces diced pancetta
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
- 3/4 cup Perdue reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon
Directions
- Heat oven to 450ºF.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or similar oven safe pan) over high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down into the skillet; cook 8 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the pancetta to the pan and cook 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the carrots and mushrooms. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up. Pour the stock into the pan.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven; bake 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables; whisk in the cream and mustard. Stir in the tarraon.
- Serve the chicken thighs with vegetables and sauce.
MAKING ONE OF MY RECIPES? Share a photo on my Facebook page or tag @HealthyDelish on Instagram. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people enjoy my recipes! And don't forget to sign up for email updates so you'll never miss a new recipe.I am not a certified nutritionist. Nutrition information calculated using myfitnesspal is provided as a courtesy, but will vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients you use. Information provided on this site is not a substitute for professional advice by certified health professionals; please consult with your doctor regarding specific health needs.
Disclosure: I received PERDUE® Signature Chicken Stock from Perdue in conjunction with a sponsored social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.
Comments