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CHICKEN WITH BEET AND FENNEL SALAD
1 golden beet
1 Chioggia beet
1/2 fennel bulb
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons snipped chives
1 teaspoon chopped chervil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon oil + oil as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup unoaked dry white wine
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup creme fraiche
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, wash and dry beets, then wrap in foil, roast until tender (about 1 hour), peel while still warm, let cool completely and cut into julienne. Shave fennel bulb horizontally into paper-thin slices and set aside.
Remove tender from each chicken breast, set aside for another use. Place each breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil and heat. Season both sides of chicken with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 good pinches of pepper per breast, place in pan and cook until medium brown (turn every 2 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pan, loosely cover with foil, and let rest.
Add a little more oil to the chicken-cooking pan (if needed), add the shallots and saute over medium heat until they are soft and just starting to brown, deglaze the pan with the wine and vinegar, cook until reduced by half. Increase the heat, add the chicken stock and reduce by about half. Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the creme fraiche and adjust the seasoning.
While the sauce is reducing, toss together the beets, fennel, olive oil, orange zest and juice, the chives and chopped chervil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to serving plates, spoon the sauce over the chicken, and run salad across it and along the sides. Serves 4 |
