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Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

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You know those weekdays when it just seems daunting to THINK about cooking a meal much less actually doing it? Yep, I thought so…..

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

We cook a whole chicken almost weekly but it takes a while and some nights we aren’t home until late but I still find myself craving that roasted chicken….it’s such a great comfort food and is super delicious with ANY veggie that is in season. Change up the herbs, grill it, roast it, BBQ it…..the possibilities are endless.

So my solution on those late weeknights and cravings….lemon chicken with leek-pea sauce. Chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken because of the flavor and ANY time of year they sound delicious. They cook relatively quickly, stay moist, and if I just have time for a salad to accompany, that works out but if I can, I like to roast some baby potatoes along side……the cool thing about chicken is you can pair almost anything for a side that sounds yummy so get those creative juices flowing!

Now for the sauce, I mean seriously, it is SO good!  I use it on my fresh pasta and almost any of my pork recipes and WHENEVER I serve it at a dinner party, my guests think I am just amazing, thats how good it is….

There really isn’t any trick to this recipe EXCEPT make sure and crisp up those chicken thighs, it makes ALL the difference and I personally use a cast iron skillet because I love how hot it gets and how beautifully it sears the chicken. If you don’t have one, any pan will do but just remember it will splatter so, be careful!

My hope is  this recipe works for you on those weekdays when you feel daunted or even when you don’t, I promise, it’s delish!

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • For the Chicken Thighs:
  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 rounds
  • For the Leek-Pea Sauce:
  • 3 large leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch piece
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • One 10-ounce package frozen baby peas, thawed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • ½ cup crème fraîche
Instructions
  1. For the Chicken Thighs:
  2. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F
  3. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Tuck a few leaves of parsley and a sliver of butter under the chicken skin.
  4. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the fat has rendered and the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer, skin side up, to a plate.
  5. Pour off the excess fat from the pan. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the pan and scatter the lemon slices on top. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 170°F (77°C), 25-30 minutes.
  6. Scatter an additional 2-3 tablespoons of fresh herbs on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with leek-pea sauce underneath or on the side.
  7. For Leek-Pea Sauce:
  8. In the other skillet, heat olive oil and cook the leeks over high heat until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
  9. While chicken is resting, add the peas, parsley and crème fraîche and simmer until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

 

Seared Duck Breast with Rosemary Cherry Sauce

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Seared Duck Breast with Rosemary Cherry Sauce

Seared Duck Breast with Rosemary Cherry Sauce

OHHHH it’s finally fall…I fight the transition, I really do; not QUITE ready to let those lazy summer days go but then bounty kicks in, harvest keeps me busy and from one day to the next I am full on into it, FULL ON and then as the days get shorter and the air crisper I dream of making all those fall comfy foods that make us all happy….

Okay enough about transition because we have seared duck breasts to chat about today! Yep duck breasts. You might have thought I was leading into some more comfy type foods (I have all fall and winter to do that)…besides I have a party this weekend and I need to do some WOWING (is that a word?)

Anyway, not only does seared duck breasts sound really like a sexy and fancy main dish, I plan on serving a delicious rosemary cherry sauce to serve on top. Seriously, I think we all know that duck and cherries are like two peas in a pod, they just make each other super happy.

Seared Duck Breast with Rosemary Cherry Sauce

The most difficult part of this recipe is that you have to “score” the skin of the duck breast. I don’t mean rate it like in a literally score but have to cut a crisscross pattern into the skin (Please don’t cut the meat at all) so that the fat near the skin can render and become super yummy crispy!

As for the fancy cherry sauce, it is super simple too and if you don’t have access to fresh cherries (it’s sorta past season in fall unless you are a nut case like me and have some that have been canned) just use frozen, they are a super substitute.

So back to the duck breasts. After you score them, season with salt and pepper and put in a nicely heated cast iron skillet (if you have one) with the butter and sear away (leave it until there is a nice browned skin and super crispy). When you turn them over, turn it down to medium and finish up.

Now the magic rosemary cherry sauce! You will use the same skillet cuz there is some yummo goodness in that pan. There are only 4 ingredients (seriously good 4 ingredients) and they all cook together, reduce, and create a tart-sweet sauce to drizzle or drench (your total preference) over the duck breast.

The last tidbit of info to make your guests think you are over the top awesome is to thinly slice the duck breast, fan them onto a pretty plate and put the cherry sauce over the top and whoa la…there is nothing more to say!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Seared Duck Breast with Rosemary Cherry Sauce
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 duck breasts
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup halved pitted sweet red cherries, fresh or frozen, thawed
  • ¼ cup good red wine
  • 4 T tablespoons honey
  • 2 T chopped rosemary
Instructions
  1. Take the duck breasts and using sharp knife, score skin in ¾-inch diamond pattern (do not cut into flesh).
  2. Melt 2 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Add duck, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes longer for small breasts and 8 minutes longer for large breast for medium-rare. Transfer to work surface, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add cherries, wine, rosemary and honey. Increase heat to high and boil until sauce is reduced to glaze, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Thinly slice duck. Fan slices out on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Seared Duck Breast with Rosemary Cherry Sauce

 

Spaghetti Squash Boat with Roasted Tomato Sauce

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I do have to confess that the idea of eating spaghetti squash vs real pasta didn’t excite my universe too much. My mom tried to pass it off as the same but when you are a kid, pasta is pasta, right? You know, gooey goodness of mac and cheese or lasagna, it’s the best taste in the world, ever. How I am supposed to pretend that a stringy squash is gonna give me similar excitement and pleasure…NOT.

It didn’t stop her tenacity and she was Italian so I pretty much had to hush up and eat it and like it. There wasn’t a separate menu for those of us on the picket line, just a pass to our room on an empty stomach. She didn’t worry too much if our tummy’s growled or we dramatically entered out of our room before bed crying with hunger pains. Back then we either ate what was at dinner or waited until breakfast to see if we still were picketing or back into the land of the living. Anyone relate?

I do have to thank her diligence, no doubt because now I completely adore spaghetti squash. It’s a weekly staple at our house for dinner and my favorite prep is a simple roasted tomato sauce with onions, garlic, and basil. All sourced out of our garden and canned…..savoring goodness all year long.

Thanks mom, tenacity pays…..

Spaghetti Squash Boat with Roasted Tomato Sauce
 
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This is a simple weeknight delight that is both delicious and healthy. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, canned will work
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Farm to Table
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half and placed face down on a cookie sheet
  • 6 large tomatoes, placed on a cookie sheet lined with parchment to roast (can substitute 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, preferably San Marzano or Pomi)
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 T olive oil
  • Bunch of basil
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • Grated pecorino cheese for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350 and put in spaghetti squash and tomatoes, roast until done, about 30 min for tomatoes and 45 min for squash
  2. When tomatoes are finished, place in blender or food processor and pulse until smooth
  3. In a medium saucepan, put in 3 T olive oil and heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent and add garlic, cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Add basil and cook for another 5-10 minutes
  6. When squash is done, turn over and scoop out seeds. Add marinara sauce and top with pecorino.
  7. Serve immediately