I MADE THIS FOR DINNER LAST NIGHT. It was so succulent, fragrant and delicious that I made it again today, for lunch. It's a complete meal of perfectly seasoned chicken and veggies, all cooked together in parchment paper, or what the French call "en papillote." Gluten-intolerant? Avoiding carbs? This elegant entree is for you.
First, place a piece of parchment paper (approximately 13x18-inches) on a baking sheet.
Then lay a handful of raw, trimmed green beans in the center of the paper.
Add a handful of sliced onions...
And then say "hello" to your beagle, who, surprise, surprise, has just appeared at the kitchen door.
Now mince up a small garlic clove...
And add it to the veggie combo.
Drizzle the veggies with a little olive oil...
And a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
For added flavor and perfume, splash the works with a little dry French vermouth. You could substitute white wine here, I suppose, but vermouth is so much nicer. It is blessed with a special, herbal flavor.
Also add a small pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of dried thyme leaves.
Next, arrange two skinless, boneless chicken thighs atop the veggies, and drizzle them with olive oil.
Top the chicken with a tiny pinch each of salt, pepper, and -- because it smells so wonderful -- a big pinch of dried tarragon leaves.
You can fold the parchment over the entree any damn way you wish. As you can see, I fold mine as if I was wrapping a package. Just don't wrap too tightly -- there must be room for a cloak of steam to develop.
Bake on the lower-middle level in a preheated 400°F oven for 35-40 minutes.
When you open the package, a fragrant burst of steam will arise. Inhale deeply -- the steam is one of life's little pleasures.
Now, you could eat this feast directly off the parchment paper.
Otherwise, do what I do, and slide a long, flat spatula under the entree...
And transfer the arrangement to a plate.
For added color, I sprinkled chopped, fresh parsley over my meal.
And what a meal it is! The veggies are perfectly steamed, and the chicken thighs are tender, fragrant, and screamingly-succulent.
Care for a bite?
For your convenience, here's a printer-friendly, copy-and-paste version of the above:
Chicken Thighs en Papillote
Kevin Lee Jacobs (www.KevinLeeJacobs.com)
Ingredients for 1 serving
4 oz (about one handful) green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup (about a handful) sliced onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
Olive oil
Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Dry French vermouth -- just a splash
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 8.3 ounces total)
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
Optional Garnish: Minced, fresh parlsey
Equipment: A large piece of parchment paper, approximately 18x13-inches; a baking sheet
Set the oven rack at the lower-third position; preheat the oven to 400°F.
1. Place the parchment paper on the baking sheet.
2. Arrange the green beans in the center of the paper. Top the beans with the onion and garlic. Give the veggies a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and thyme, and a short splash of vermouth. Place the chicken thighs atop the veggies, and dress them with a little olive oil, a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, and a big pinch of dried tarragon leaves.
3. Draw up the two long ends of paper, and fold them three times, pressing the folds firmly to seal. Don't fold too close to the chicken -- there must be air space in order for a cloak of steam to develop. Fold each end of the package 3 or 4 times, and press firmly to seal.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the veggies are perfectly steamed, and the chicken is tender, succulent, and thoroughly cooked -- 35-40 minutes.
Think you'll try this gorgeous low-(or no-) carb entree? You can let me know by leaving a comment. As always, I love hearing from you.
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Other mind-numbing posts:
The Easy Kitchen Garden
Chicken & Lemon Polpettine
Easy Homemade Baguettes
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